Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Hudson Line


The printmaking studio that I use is in New York City and I have to commute to get there using the Metro North train - Hudson Line. The ride is spectacular as the tracks stretch along the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Across the river are the Palisades, cliffs that jut out from the tree-filled hills that rise above the river. I've always loved the view of the Palisades cliffs and as I passed them while on the train, I would sketch them, trying to capture their magestic beauty as well as the quirky way they they thrust out from the the trees that surround them. I decided to use one of my sketches as a starting point for a sugarlift etching with aquatint. This was my first landscape etching and I was pretty pleased with it. It isn't accurate but I think it is recognizable.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the sugarlift etching technique. I love it because it allows you to use a painterly, flowing line in your etching, a quality that is difficult to achieve otherwise. The aquatint for this partcular etching has obscured the original sugarlift line and this print reflects the third state of the plate, but I hope to post some simpler versions of sugarlift in the future.

1 comment:

ainesse said...

Hi Elana. I have enjoyed looking through your blog and the kinds of things you talk about. Also that you talk about what you are getting up to with your artwork. I like that you talk about other artists too.

I would like to see the other proofs that you did of this etching and also for you to talk about the sugar lift etching. Its ages since I did this technique and it didn't go that well so its refreshing to hear you speak of it in a positive way.

I completely related to your description of commuting in to the print workshop - this was my experience when I lived in London (moved 2 yrs ago up to Scotland) It used to take me almost i.5 hours to get there and by then I'd be shattered as I have a long term health problem of a spinal nature.

better go now

Aine

ps also like the name "Spider Ink Studio" its good !!