Etching is an art form for the masses

The next display at the Pensacola Museum of Art will be “Daumier: Art for the Masses”. It opens April 12 with an opening reception for Art Guild members only from 5:30 - 7:30pm.

Honoré Daumier is widely regarded as one of the most dominant artists of the nineteenth century. Using the relatively new technique of lithography, he was able to greatly influence popular politics and culture throughout the mid-1800s in France. Armed with a razor sharp wit and deft drawing and printing skills, Daumier created hundreds of images that satirized all aspects of French society. Due to the wider distribution of newspapers and pamphlets at the time, Daumier had direct access to the public through which he could comment on politics, art, war, the Bourgeoisie, and modern life. The PMA is proud to present the collection of Dr. Patrick Rowe, Art History and Humanities Art Professor at Pensacola State College, of 169 lithographs and other prints, as well as some rare original newspapers.

Etching is a form of art that is usually taught in high school and college. It involves coating plates of zinc with wax, scratching through the wax with a scribe, and then dipping the plates into acid. The acid eats the metal where it has been exposed, creating a groove. The plate is then cleaned. Black ink is rubbed into the etched grooves. It is rubbed off so that the unetched areas are clean and the ink is only left in the depressions. Paper is then made wet so that it will bend. It is pressed against the plate with a tight clamp. The paper pulls the ink out of the grooves to make a print.

Lithography evolved with the invention of the camera. It was used to add photographs to a newspaper or printed materials. The negative was projected through a screen that turned the photo into a series of dots. The dots were etched and used in a similar way to print photos.

Then lithography evolved into offset lithography, which is used to print color pictures. Four plates are etched; one for each primary color and one for black. The plates are off set so that the dots do not line up exactly, and are printed next to each other. From a distance, the dots blend into secondary colors.

Students in middle school can explore a similar type of printing using Styrofoam and tempera paint. Cut rectangles of foam from meat trays and take out boxes. Use a stylus such as a ball point pen that has run out of ink or a knitting needle to make a drawing on the foam. Make the lines fairly deep, but do not poke all the way through the foam. Tempera paint has larger particles in it than printing ink. The lines will need to be wide to make a good transfer.

Caution students that the picture will look reversed, or backwards, after printing. If words are written on the foam, they will create a mirror image after printing. If they want words in the design, they will have to write backwards on the plate in order for the words to be correct when they are printed.

Paint tempera paint over the entire surface. Use a wet paper towel to wipe the paint off of the smooth areas leaving it in the grooves.

Dampen a piece of rag content paper. Rag content, such as good typing paper, will bend more than wood content paper. Place the sheet on top of the foam. Find a large, heavy book that is bigger than the foam. Place the book on top of the paper. Gently press down, hard enough to transfer the paint, but not so hard that it flattens the foam.

Sunshine State Standards

VA.A.1.3.1 Uses two-dimensional and three dimensional media, techniques, tools and processes to solve specific visual arts problems with refinement and control.

Assessment

1. The student created a drawing in the style of Honoré Daumier or another artist who etched.
2. The student created depressed lines without poking through the foam.
3. The student used care and control when applying paint evenly to the design.
4. The student used care and control when pressing the design onto the paper.