The Mermaid nun again. With the same copper plate used for the first etching print, an experiment trial of aquatint technique was tried. Three different layers of varnish were used, with the copper plate being “bitted” by acid in the intervals, Finally, blue ink was spread on the copper plate and the print was made.
This technique allowed in this case three diferent tonalities of blue ink to be printed. It is possible to do more, if one has the patience to repeat the varnish layers and acid exposures.
A Beautiful photograph must never answer every question, or you’ll never come back to it. The question must always remain unanswered.
Rodney Smith 2009
The question remains: why is she closing her eyes ? Deep thougts ? Sadness ? Enjoying the warm sunlight on her face ? Or did the camera caught an unintentional closing of her eyelids ?
Some other questions could be asked, concerning other people : Is the guy wearing a basebal cap with her ? Why is the man standing on the pier looking backwards ?
And now I am learning etching techniques. My first etching: taking a waxed/varnished copper plate I made a drawing on it with a sharp steel point
The plate was dipped in acid and after that the wax was removed. The drawing on the copper surface is evident.
The plate was covered with ink, and the superficial coat of ink was mechanically removed by hand
The ink was left on the previously engraved grooves
The inked plate was placed on the printing press
And coverd with a moist sheet of paper
The heavy cilinders of the press were moved
Et voilá !!! The complete sheet and the image In detail . I can cal it “The Mermaid Nun”
A very interesting technique, especially considering that it is done as it was five centuries ago. The initial drawing on the waxed copper plate is quite tricky, but it can certainly be improved.
Next step will be to perform an “Aquatint” techinique on this same etching.
Winter arrived, with rain and wind. Not a good weather for going out with a camera. Time to stay indoors and make some more drawings. Three recent ones from yesterday session.
Last Saturday, another drawing session with live model in Cascais, Portugal. This time in the House of Stories, a museum and arts center dedicated to the works of artist Paula Rego. A very inspiring venue with suitable space and lighting
After the sessions, the participants lay their drawings on the floor. Comparing and discussing some of the results is an interesting parto of the session .
A winter morning walk along the river, with a new camera that was kindly given to me at Christmas. On the left bank, in the shade, the restaurants are still empty.
The old stones on the ground show the humidity left over from the night
A seagull on top of a crane watches who passes by
The same small boats moored next to the pier, float on the dark water
At the end, a bench to rest and admire the city, in the sun, across the river.
During the tour, I made a cell-phone photo of a heart painted on the cement ground by an unknown street artist. People step aside to avoid stepping on it…
Friday 13th, is, for some, an ominous day, when bad things are supposed to happen.
Not for me.
Last Friday December 13th I went to the movies: a film about czech Photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková .( http://www.jarcovjakova.com/ ) A sucession of her black and white photos capturing scenes from her life in Prague in the sixties – mostly night-life scenes, of marginal minority groups. Lots of pictures also from Japan and West Berlin – fefore and after the fall of the Wall. Not my kind of photography, but anyway a well constructed documentary about her life and work.
Another exhibition of images, now from a portuguese photojournalist Carlos Lopes, who documented scenes from the political activity in the days after the April revolution. Late afternoon I was sitting outside with a glass of wine in dowtown Lisbon. Crowds of people shopping for Christmas, street musicians playing and a general feeling of joy.
At 6:00 PM at Santa Clara Market an interesting exhibition from the “12 X 12 group”. This is an association of former and current Arts students. Their small-format works (watercolour paintings,engravings, drawings) was presented inside plastic CD boxes and sold at low prices.
Later, at the same venue, a drawing session with a live model
João Avelar images 