Ammonite spiral solar etching

Ammonite   solar etching   14.5x20.5cm   ©2016Lisa Le Quelenec

This what I had been intending to print when I stumbled across the seahorse plate from the previous post...These prints are from a second solar etching plate that I made on the Printmaking Course at Arts University Bournemouth. (For an explanation of the process visit this post Sea urchin - solar etching.) I had decided to do another ammonite plate to be able to compare and contrast the technique and outcome with a small zinc ammonite plate I had etched in the traditional way. (Variations are shown here.)

After experimenting with the inking up and printing of both types of plate I think the outcomes are hard to distinguish between. Maybe the difference would become apparent when printing large editions with one plate wearing down quicker than another. My research hasn't come up with an answer to that, only that both types of plate are very hard wearing. I have enjoyed both processes and can see the advantage of solar etching for my circumstances in not having to use the acid bath to make plates. Whether I can make it work for me using sunlight and not having to have a light box to expose the drawing onto the plate remains to be seen, more experiments to come over summer methinks.

Ammonite   solar etching   14.5x20.5cm   ©2016Lisa Le Quelenec

Both of the above prints are available in my Etsy store Seasidestudiosuk.