Look: The Parcheesi Print, an Etching and a Case Study, by Peter Kirkiles

Peter Kirkiles, Parcheesi Print, Etching, 2019, 12 x 12 inches, Courtesy Jeffrey Tillou Antiques

Five years ago, I purchased a vintage Charles Brand etching press. It had formerly been owned by the late artist, Johnathan Scoville, whose work I greatly admire. I’ve been experimenting and producing works on paper using this press, but this summer I was fortunate to have participated in a week long etching workshop at Crown Point Press in San Fransisco, California. The training explored the beginning to end process of creating copper plate etchings using aquatint and chine collé. I produced five artist proofs of varying finishes and look forward to completing the edition from plates I etched under the guidance of Crown Point’s master printers.

THE INSPIRATION

Inspired by a folk art Parcheesi game board, I selected a portion of the geometric colored pattern as subject. This limited my choices, leaving me room to explore just the technical processes of copper plate etching.

THE PLATE

Four copper plates were required to produce this etching—one “tone” plate which I used the spit bite aquatint technique, two other plates that employed aquatint alone, providing flat color, then a final plate that issued the black line.

INKING THE PLATE

Emily York, master printer at Crown Point Press, demonstrates the subtle technique of applying ink and wiping the plate—as though the palm of your hand is an airplane, gently landing on the copper plate before running off onto the cloth.