Making etching prints
It's a magic world, the result is always different from what one could expect, something impredictable. My teacher used to tell me that etching is like an S and M relationship, the etcher wants the metal plate to react in a certain way and instead it can behave differently. I don't know if it's true but I know from experience that it's not easy to predict exactly the result of the biting on the metal. I created this etching print in the same way of "The other face of a man", covering the plate with a wax which is resistant to acid and drawing with a pointed needle. When I finished drawing I dipped the plate in the acid (I usually keep the acid in a plastic basin) starting the process that is called biting ("morsura", in italian). I removed the plate from the acid several times to control the depth of the lines and when I decided they were engraved enough I covered them with an alcohol varnish to prevent the acid from biting them too much, then I put the plate again in the basin to engrave it more. Yes, this technique can need several "baths". When I was satisfied I removed the plate from the acid and washed it under the water tap. I took off the wax with turpentine or white spirit and the alcohol varnish with alcohol. Then I inked the plate and put it under a printing press with a damp sheet of paper to impress the image on it. At this point the process was finished and I could print a limited edition of sheets. After drying I numbered and signed every print with a pencil.
L'altra faccia di un uomo
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