Larry Welo Artist Biography

ETCHINGS BY LARRY WELO. Making an etching involves taking a smooth piece of copper and creating a surface on it that is not smooth. This irregular "created" surface will then hold ink to the etching may be printed. To begin with, a protective coating (ground) is applied to the smooth copper plate. Lines may be scratched through the ground with an etching needle, textures may be pushed through the ground, the ground itself may be applied in an irregular fashion or, as with an aquatint, the plate may be covered with a rosin dust, which when heated fuses to the plate forming thousands of tiny droplets with unprotected metal between. An acid bath etches the copper plate wherever the metal is left unprotected by the drawing with the needle, the texture, the irregular ground or the aquatint rosin. Once the plate has been etched for various time intervals, the protective ground is cleaned from the plate. Cloth is then used to clean away the surface ink, leaving ink in the recessed, etched areas. The plate is then pulled through the etching press with a dampened sheet of paper laid on top. The pressure from the large steel rollers is great enough to force the paper into the recessed areas where the ink lies. MULTIPLE PLATE COLOR ETCHINGS. Several copper plates may be used to create a color etching. A great amount of time and energy is involved in etching each plate. Each plate is etched differently, and different colors of etching ink are applied to each plate. The plates are printed one after the other, in register, onto a sheet of dampened etching paper. COLOR ETCHINGS USING CHINE COLLE. Chine colle involves using very thin, often handmade, often colorful Japanese papers which are cut into different shapes and glued to the etching as it is pulled through the press. Chine colle is difficult to master, but has the potential for adding a new and sometimes colorful dimension to the etching process. ARTIST’S STATEMENT. My etchings have always been inspired by various aspects of my life; in a sense, self portraits. My imagery is often rooted in the natural world. I create my etchings entirely in my studio; I find my information in sketches I have drawn, written notations and most importantly, my imagination. My images are not intended to be duplications of the world, but instead interpretations of it. It is important to me that the creative process always be a voyage of discovery, always looking in new directions and following new avenues. Home | About Us| Art Consulting & Custom Framing | Upcoming Events | Contact Us Tamarack Galleries 2004



				ETCHINGS BY LARRY WELO. Making an etching involves taking a smooth piece of copper and creating a surface on it that is not smooth. This irregular "created" surface will then hold ink to the etching may be printed. To begin with, a protective coating (ground) is applied to the smooth copper plate. Lines may be scratched through the ground with an etching needle, textures may be pushed through the ground, the ground itself may be applied in an irregular fashion or, as with an aquatint, the plate may be covered with a rosin dust, which when heated fuses to the plate forming thousands of tiny droplets with unprotected metal between. An acid bath etches the copper plate wherever the metal is left unprotected by the drawing with the needle, the texture, the irregular ground or the aquatint rosin. Once the plate has been etched for various time intervals, the protective ground is cleaned from the plate. Cloth is then used to clean away the surface ink, leaving ink in the recessed, etched areas. The plate is then pulled through the etching press with a dampened sheet of paper laid on top. The pressure from the large steel rollers is great enough to force the paper into the recessed areas where the ink lies. MULTIPLE PLATE COLOR ETCHINGS. Several copper plates may be used to create a color etching. A great amount of time and energy is involved in etching each plate. Each plate is etched differently, and different colors of etching ink are applied to each plate. The plates are printed one after the other, in register, onto a sheet of dampened etching paper. COLOR ETCHINGS USING CHINE COLLE. Chine colle involves using very thin, often handmade, often colorful Japanese papers which are cut into different shapes and glued to the etching as it is pulled through the press. Chine colle is difficult to master, but has the potential for adding a new and sometimes colorful dimension to the etching process. ARTIST’S STATEMENT. My etchings have always been inspired by various aspects of my life; in a sense, self portraits. My imagery is often rooted in the natural world. I create my etchings entirely in my studio; I find my information in sketches I have drawn, written notations and most importantly, my imagination. My images are not intended to be duplications of the world, but instead interpretations of it. It is important to me that the creative process always be a voyage of discovery, always looking in new directions and following new avenues.


		Home \| About Us\| Art Consulting & Custom Framing \| Upcoming Events \| Contact Us Tamarack Galleries 2004