about the Etching

Etching is a one of the technique of the printmaking. Etching, intaglio has some process to complete. At first I have to sketch on the same size as popper plate by pencil. Of course it is the most important process to make new image work. It took long time to decide the balance, shape, using techniques and so on. Then I pour the etching ground on the copper thinly. Sometime I should burn the ground by wax candle to fit on the surface of the copper. I trace the sketch on the ground, then I can scratch it by needle finally. I should be careful to draw, because it is not easy to change the line if I already scratched. After scratching all images, I put it into the acid water to make depth on the copper. After 1 hour I wash the plate, then remove the ground. Next process is printing. I put the ink on the plate, then wipe the ink. You can see the ink still remain into the depth. I prepare wet paper before printing. I remove the plate to the press machine table. I put the paper on the plate, then print it by pretty strong pressure. You can see final result of etching on the paper symmetry. You can make a lot of print works from one plate if you press many times.

basic information

2013 I made "100 fcaes". It was 10x15cm etching 100 works. Here is a box set of it. When I went to the foreign country, I made the other series of the work "friends". It still continues. It reached about 80 works now. Total 180 works are here. I printed 36 plates on a large paper at the one press. Like this way I put the other 36 plates put on the press table at the different combination, then I printed. I amount large paper on the 60x90cm wooden panel. I am showing 40 panels are combined. That means there are 1500 faces here. And then I do hand coloring on the paper by acrylic paint, color pencil, ball- point pen etc. I want make some connection for the next faces like a conversation.

100 faces

One day I just thought of drawing a lot of kind of faces by intaglio printmaking technique. One work is same and small size, 15×10cm. When I finished 100 works, I will print them many times to cover the all walls of the gallery. I decided the rule to make before starting.

1, any design is okay, if it looks like a face.

2, the theme is from inside of me.

3, I will complete one work a day.

Printmaking has some process to complete. So it is not so easy to finish one work a day. I tried not to think well because I don’t have enough time. Sometimes I scratched the surface of the copper plate by needle directly. I made a few works from the same sketch by using different intaglio techniques. Finally I finished 100 works, after that I printed a hundred of faces by the different combination of the copper plates again and again. The faces reached about 3000 ones. I retouched on the print by water color, color pencil, pen, collage and so on. I tried to draw people's connection like a talking, loving, complaining each other.

Friends

2013 I visited Sweden to stay for one month at the printmaking studio as an artist in residence. I just wanted to change the concept of my work. I always drew something from inside of myself, so I wanted to start new project which I can connect with outside of me. I asked the people who I met at studio or other place to draw their face by intaglio. The some rules of this series are following.

1, draw a real people’s face

2, do not sketch them, draw their first impression or character

3, give them Kanji name

4, after finish it, give them a sheet of print.

When we meet first, we observe each other, and talk to understand. This process are interesting and important. How do I make the friend’s portrait? I think first impression is most important. Maybe we can get a lot of information from the first impression. If he is a talkative parson, I will draw many mouths. If she looks very busy, I will draw running body. They are also interested in my work's progress of their portrait. When I give a finished print to them, it is a pleasure for me to see their happy face. All friend's work has a several own story. I can enjoy talking that for the visitor. I already finished 90 portraits now. This series will be my lifework.

At the last

I want show my 2 series work as not only traditional printmaking, but also like installation. When the visitor came into the gallery, they feel like mazing into a hundreds of or thousands of faces. I want make them catch just a strong power from my work.