Low tide experiments with inking drypoints

Low Tide   drypoint 3.5x15.8cm   ©2015Lisa Le Quelenec

I had a tiny snippet of perspex left over from cutting down another plate and not being one to waste anything I thought I would use it for an experiment. I have come to the conclusion that the skill in printmaking very much lies in the skill of inking up the plate. It's quite a thing to learn - how much ink to apply, how much to wipe off, where to polish and where not to, colours behave very differently to the paint that I am used to and the consistency is a million miles away from acrylic and watercolour - beautiful sticky stuff that it is...

I digress, this little piece of acrylic with a simple design scratched in has been a test piece to practise with. The print on the right has some added marks in the plate where I wanted to add a little more tone but I am finding it interesting to see how the plate develops each time I print it and get braver and more experimental with the inking. These have been done over a series of a few weeks and as I have the time and inclination I will print a few more.