The Poor Artist's Etching/Drypoint Process

Actually printed with acrylic paint!

I'm cheap. I didn't realize how fancy etching was until I looked at a few
YouTube videos and saw what in the process I was missing.

But I love the line quality in etches, so I'm not giving up just yet.


 I got a tiny block of lino to practice on. It's two sided, so there will be another tiny etching to make next.

Tools of the cheap trade:

After cutting and scratching out the shape on the lino with my knife, I used my finger to push paint into the crevices. I used a dollar store squeegee to get the extra paint off.

I did soak the paper a bit too.

To make the pull I put down a clean sheet of paper to protect my wood floor.
Next, I placed my lino plate on it, and put my damp watercolor paper on top of it carefully.
On top of the damp paper I laid a terry washcloth, something nice and squishy and fluffy to push the paper down. Then I took my rolling pin (brayer) and went over the pile from bottom to top with the most even pressure I could manage.









I peeled off each layer carefully and this is my result!

I even took two pulls from the one inking.

This is addicting. I want to do more! I'd like to work on tightening the lines that print, which might work with a thinner printing agent anyway. I'd also like to try multi-color and two-plate etching, maybe an ecorche.