Dry Point
Exhibition Text
Autumn (II) is the second part of a print series showing my memories of autumn in the mid-west United States where the decay of the environment happens rather fast. Through the winter a person can only try to remember what the lush tree looked like in full bloom.
Autumn (II) is the second part of a print series showing my memories of autumn in the mid-west United States where the decay of the environment happens rather fast. Through the winter a person can only try to remember what the lush tree looked like in full bloom.
Planning
Inspiration
The inspiration for my dry point print is mainly An Oak Tree in Winter by William Henry Fox Talbot. The composition of this work is a photograph of a tree holding the emphasis maintaining the balance in the center of the piece. The photograph is also monochromatic which helped my draw even more connections to it. Moreover, photography is a way of remembering, it documents scenes or moments as they were in that moment. Since my dry point print, similar to my block print, is about familiarity with memory, I wanted to make the subject of the latter something that I am extremely familiar with that might also trigger nostalgia. Leafless trees just happen to be one of those things. Even though the photograph by Talbot is of an oak tree in winter, it reminded me of Autumn also. |
William Henry Fox Talbot (English, 1800 - 1877)
[An Oak Tree in Winter], probably 1842 - 1843, Salted paper print 19.4 x 16.6 cm (7 5/8 x 6 9/16 in.) The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles |
Bare branches of maple tree in winter silhouetted against dawn sky on farm, Hadley, Masaschusetts, USA
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"Explanation Found for Leonardo Da Vinci's Tree Rule?" ~ What the Heck Is Art ? N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
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Critical Investigation
William Henry Fox Talbot patented the calotype printing process in 1841. This new way of printing photographs at this time was far superior to the famous Deguerreotype. A calotype, or photo negative can yield multiple prints of the same photo while a Deguerreotype could only yield a single on a metal plate. The process includes first coating a sheet of paper with silver chloride which is sensitive to light. The areas hit by light become dark and then the photo negative is complete. This negative could then be used to create many more of the same photographs. Half of my research was devoted to understanding the proportions of maple trees and what they generally looked like. I was most concerned with the spread of the canopy and the height at which the trunk separates into the larger limbs and how large those limbs would be. I came across an interesting botany discovery made by Leonardo Da Vinci. Summed up, his conclusion was basically that the all the limbs at any height, can be combined together to equate the thickness of the trunk. |
Planning Sketches
The main struggle I had with my planning sketches was coming up with the best way to present familiarity in a similar manner without being to repetitive of my previous block print. The sketches below are in chronological order from left to right. Click on one to read more about it.
The main struggle I had with my planning sketches was coming up with the best way to present familiarity in a similar manner without being to repetitive of my previous block print. The sketches below are in chronological order from left to right. Click on one to read more about it.
Experimentation
The two prints to the left were my first first prints. I was experimenting primarily with how much ink to put on the plate and how much I need to wipe off. It was honestly more of a guess and check process because the plate always looked the same regardless of how much ink I wiped off. The only way to figure out was to print. After it was printed I could see where I removed too much or didn't remove enough ink. With my first print, I was also able to determine if I needed to carve anything deeper or I needed to add anything. The only thing I fixed after my first print was the trunk of the tree; it had a weird indent on the left side because I didn't follow my sketch precisely.
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Process
The pictures are in chronological order. Click on a picture and read the caption to learn more about the step.
Once the printing process is complete, the plate can be cleaned off with paint thinner.
Steps:
Steps:
- Create (on paper) the image that will be printed.
- Remember that the image will be flipped.
- Remove the protective plastic from the printing plate.
- Align it with your drawing and tape it in place
- Use the carving tool to scratch the drawing into the plate.
- Use stippling or crosshatching.
- Once carved, remove the plate from the paper.
- Collect printing materials.
- Lay out paper to avoid getting ink everywhere.
- Put on gloves.
- Use a palette knife to spread a small amount of oil based ink across your entire plate.
- Focus on areas with a lot of detail.
- Use fragments of news print paper to remove excess ink from the plate.
- Submerge a piece of watercolor paper in water for five minutes.
- Pat it dry.
- Lay the paper inside a folded sheet of larger paper.
- Place printing plat in the center of the watercolor paper.
- Close the enveloping paper.
- Put the plate and papers through the press once.
- Let the print dry.
Evaluation
My Work
In comparison to artistic inspiration and communication of there, I would say that my dry point print was a success. The fine lines of the branches create an interesting network similar to tree photographed by Talbot. The contrast between the background and the tree itself is high in both the photograph and my print with a central balance. The symbolism of a bare tree represents the fading of memory through the change it naturally goes through. |
Reflection
This piece was a huge change of pace for me because I decided to make it part of a series. I have never considered doing that before with any piece I have made. I found it difficult to be responsible for carrying on the same message and theme from on piece to the next without seeming to redundant, especially because I had spent a lot of time between my two prints trying to think of a way to communicate with similar symbols. Researching this piece was also different because I did not find many sources regarding the meaning of my inspiration. I believe it was just a picture taken to test out the new method for capturing a picture. The image Talbot did inspire my symbolism. Seeing the tree he photographed reminded me of the changing of seasons where I live and sort of brought on a little nostalgia. I then realized that a bare tree was the perfect symbolism that related both to autumn and memory.
I didn't find making the piece nearly as difficult as I expected. It was rather easy once I composed the right sketch. Since I wanted the tree to be the emphasis of the piece, I put it in the center of the plate and decided to not have anything in the background. The tree in the middle also helped maintain balance between the negative space on either side. Once the composition was completed, etching the drawing into the plate was effortless. I managed to complete it in about forty-five minutes. The more difficult part was printing. I was trying to find the right amount of ink to apply and the right amount of pressure to use when wiping off excess ink. If either one of the previous thing got messed up, the contrast between the printed line and paper would be low.
Overall, I am satisfied with the outcome of my dry point print, however I believe I could have done slightly better with etching my drawing. There were places that I didn't make the mark straight enough and I had to go back in an fix it. For example, that is why there is a double line on the trunk of the tree. There originally was an indent in the side of the tree, which can be seen in my first print. I attempted to fix it after that print.
I didn't find making the piece nearly as difficult as I expected. It was rather easy once I composed the right sketch. Since I wanted the tree to be the emphasis of the piece, I put it in the center of the plate and decided to not have anything in the background. The tree in the middle also helped maintain balance between the negative space on either side. Once the composition was completed, etching the drawing into the plate was effortless. I managed to complete it in about forty-five minutes. The more difficult part was printing. I was trying to find the right amount of ink to apply and the right amount of pressure to use when wiping off excess ink. If either one of the previous thing got messed up, the contrast between the printed line and paper would be low.
Overall, I am satisfied with the outcome of my dry point print, however I believe I could have done slightly better with etching my drawing. There were places that I didn't make the mark straight enough and I had to go back in an fix it. For example, that is why there is a double line on the trunk of the tree. There originally was an indent in the side of the tree, which can be seen in my first print. I attempted to fix it after that print.
ACT Responses
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
The simplicity and monochromatic scheme of Talbot's photograph caused me to create s simple composition. I also had the option to add color with watercolor paint to my print, but I decided against it because I liked How the photo looked.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors of all of the things I viewed for research didn't show a bias of the topic other than Britannica. The author of that entry communicated that Talbot was highly innovative and made great impact in the photo industry, however, someone could easily disagree.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
In researching, I concluded that people generally favor quantity over quality . They look into how many of something can be produced rather than how clear or good it is.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea around my research was finding out about tree proportions to make my drawing look as realistic as possible.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The only inference I made was that Talbot was a photographer and not much more, but it turns out he also knew a bit about science in order to create an entirely new printing process.
The simplicity and monochromatic scheme of Talbot's photograph caused me to create s simple composition. I also had the option to add color with watercolor paint to my print, but I decided against it because I liked How the photo looked.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors of all of the things I viewed for research didn't show a bias of the topic other than Britannica. The author of that entry communicated that Talbot was highly innovative and made great impact in the photo industry, however, someone could easily disagree.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
In researching, I concluded that people generally favor quantity over quality . They look into how many of something can be produced rather than how clear or good it is.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea around my research was finding out about tree proportions to make my drawing look as realistic as possible.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The only inference I made was that Talbot was a photographer and not much more, but it turns out he also knew a bit about science in order to create an entirely new printing process.
Bibliography
"[An Oak Tree in Winter] (Getty Museum)." The J. Paul Getty in Los Angeles. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016. <http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/45241/william-henry-fox-talbot-an-oak-tree-in-winter-british-probably-1842-1843/>
"calotype". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 02 Nov. 2016
<https://www.britannica.com/technology/calotype>
"Explanation Found for Leonardo Da Vinci's Tree Rule?" ~ What the Heck Is Art ? N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
<http://whattheheckisart.blogspot.com/2012/01/physorg-more-than-500-years-ago.html>
"The Life of a Sugar Maple Tree." Sugar Maple. Cornell University, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
<http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/pubs/trees.htm>
"calotype". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 02 Nov. 2016
<https://www.britannica.com/technology/calotype>
"Explanation Found for Leonardo Da Vinci's Tree Rule?" ~ What the Heck Is Art ? N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
<http://whattheheckisart.blogspot.com/2012/01/physorg-more-than-500-years-ago.html>
"The Life of a Sugar Maple Tree." Sugar Maple. Cornell University, n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
<http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/pubs/trees.htm>