Solar plate etchings - palms

Another Printfest on Sunday and my first opportunity to print the solar plates I made from the drawings of palms in the Gardens last autumn. This plate was made from the drawing on the right of this spread, done in the Tropical Centre. It was such a simple drawing but the solar etching plate turned out really well. The top one was inked up in sanguine Charbonnel ink - wonderful colour. The other was inked up in an aubergine mix that had been created by Seraphina Martin who runs the Printfest. It is interesting to see them come off the etching press and see how the variation in the colours used makes such a difference.

The second plate was from this drawing of palms done in the Gardens near the Herb Garden. The first was inked up in that lovely sanguine ink again, and the second one with Charbonnel Prussian Blue. Charbonnel are beautiful French inks for fine art printmaking. If you want to know about the process of making solar plate etchings from your drawings or photographs I have written up a short explanation on the glossary of my blog here.