Mezzotint video. Inking and printing

Found a video of  inking and printing a mezzotint plate. Very thorough, a bit too long, all in all very informative.

The artist’s method of drying prints is a new one on me. I like the idea. Exept the number of the prints one can dry like that is limited by the size of the wall.

At Brenda’s studio where I go to print all is set up to dry in a stuck: 2-3 sheets of blotting paper, layer of still dump prints, 2-3 sheets of blotting paper again, an MDF pannel; repeat.

Paper treatment is also different. I tried various methods and find the following the best: The day before printing wet the paper by dunking it into the water; stuck the sheets; wrap them into a plastic sheet and leave for at least overnight. This way paper get’s evenly dump through without being too wet, which can cause ink being repelled from paper during printing, giving the print random bold patches. Also, this way paper can be kept in perfect condition for a few days. How long – depends on the temperature in the room. The warmer – the quicker it’ll go mouldy. But couple of days is fine in almost any conditions.

Mezzotint Video. Artist Toru Iwaya.

Found this video today. It’s curious how a technique invented and developed by a European became so naturally Eastern. It is slow, meditative, laborious, withdrawn, solitary. Those are the reasons I am addicted to it. An escape of a kind.