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Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Linocut
I received my 6”x4” lino-block in the lab. I made a design on it based on a tattoo I have on my right arm. I took a picture of my arm. I uploaded to my computer. I traced the image off my computer screen, using the light of the screen, on a piece of paper. I covered the back of the paper in graphite and transferred the image to the linoboard. I went over it with a sharpie to clearly see where the design is. This being relief-printing, I proceeded to cut the negative spaces around my design using a v-shaped gauge. Among the available sizes, I found myself working comfortably on the larger end of the spectrum, as my design was simple enough and my hands big. I also left a half-inch margin around the edges.
Cutting lino with the gouge was a friendly process. The surface was soft enough for me to catch a rhythm working with the design. At moments, I would get impatient or use it too strongly. As a result of that, here and there, I had some of my carved lines overlapping the design that is saved for block printing. I repaired one of these by taping it back up. The others were insignificant.
I was able to finish this design in class and I took the block home with me.
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Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Etching and Engraving
I received my 6”x4” copper plate for engraving and my 6”x4” zinc plate for etching.
Ad Stijnman showed the class the techniques of engraving. This included how to hold a burin and how to make cuts with a burin. I polished the copper plate and the zinc plate with the copper polish. The polishing prompt was to do it until you see your eyelashes reflected on the plate. I took them home with me along with a drypoint, a ruler and a buring to work on my design at home.
Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Putting an etching ground
Under the fume hood, over the hot plate, I held the etching plate with pliers, occasionally checking whether the etching ball ground was able to move smoothly or not. Once it was, I used a feather to drag the ground on the plate with smooth, swift motions. I covered the entire plate this way with a semi-transparent coat. It was not thick and you could see the strokes. There were little areas left uncovered, which I went over and touched them with the ball ground away from the heat on the newsprint.
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Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Engraving and Beveling
I was briefly back in the lab on Thursday, to start engraving with a burin. I found it very hard to make the incisions in the beginning. It got progressively better but not enough to think of engraving as a smooth, practical operation of making copies.
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Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: 615 114th st
Subject: Etching
Using drypoint tool, I etched my plate in about one hour. I started with an outline of the design. After that, I attempted to create tone by hatching and cross-hatching as well as making deeper cuts into the zinc, although all i needed was to etch into the ground. I was curious about the different result this might create when biting the plate.
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Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: Chandler 260
Subject: Biting the Etching Plate
Following Ad’s instructions, I bit the etching plate under the fume hood. I taped around the edges and made a little handle out of tape before dropping the plate in the acid bath, a plastic bin filled with acid upto an inch. While keeping the plate there for about 5 minutes, I softly brushed away the sediments off the plate. I then took it out and dried it.
The rest of the time, I spent on engraving my copper plate, still with considerable difficulty.
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Name: Baris Gokturk
Date and Time:
Location: Teacher’s College Printmaking Workshop
Subject: Printing
I arrived at the lab with very little to accomplish my printing, an oxymoron considering the process it entails. I first inked my etching plate by using cloth and then paper towels to wipe the excess away. Then I rolled the press on the plate. The result was somewhat more faint than I wanted. If I had additional time, I would have done a second run. An earlier mistake I had made by scratching the plate while beveling didn’t end up showing in the final print. I have had polished it off earlier but wasn’t sure if it was going to show or not.
I finished the session by also printing my engraving. It came out very faint as I hadn’t cut the lines deep enough. I also made an earlier mistake of sanding the plate with a 640 sandpaper as opposed to the required 1200.
I didn’t get to print my linocut on this day.
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