Stranded
The source photograph for this series was taken is very close to the last- on the outskirts of Howarth.
The subject is intentionally mysterious, with only traces of it evident in the final prints.
Enfield Side 27 May 2018 11:24 Photo-etching and monoprint 2019
This mystery is hard-won, the result of much experimentation in both plate treatment and in forms of under-printing. I will return to the theme of experimentation in a later post.
There are two layers of under-printing in this series- both using burnt sienna as the base colour. Here you can see the subject dipping into the darker of the two.
Most of the ink used in this collection are ready-made tube inks. In this case, the main ink used is hand-prepared.
Enfield Side 27 May 2018 11:24 Photo-etching and monoprint 2019
The plain etching below now makes the source clearer. What was left behind is a woollen glove, now ground into a shallow puddle by the side of the road. The puddle that the glove fell in is long-since dried out.
Though this is now evident, the plate was ground considerably to the bottom right (as viewing), making the wrist of the glove far less obvious. This is as it was on the day- hard to pick out from the stones stranded in this now dried up puddle.
Enfield Side 27 May 2018 11:24 Photo-etching 2019