Mezzotint Printmaking: a Tool demonstration and guide

This video highlights the different tools used to create a mezzotint print (a form of Intaglio printmaking). I show how to setup proper lighting and prepare a copper plate. I then go through using a scraper tool, burnisher, engraving sandbag, and finally a print showing the results.
My video on mezzotint rockers: • Mezzotint Printmaking ...
Links to tools shown in this video:
You should be able to find most of these tools in a well stocked local art supply store, but these links might help if they do not have them.
Mezzotint rockers: www.eclyons.com/index.php?main...
Roulettes: www.eclyons.com/index.php?main...
Engraver sandbags: www.imcclains.com/catalog/engr...
Small scraper: www.eclyons.com/index.php?main...
Large scraper: www.eclyons.com/index.php?main...
Burnisher/Scraper: www.eclyons.com/index.php?main...
Ball Burnisher: www.eclyons.com/index.php?main...
The Mezzotint, Carol Wax
www.amazon.com/The-Mezzotint-C...
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▼Tools and Materials used in this video:
www.diodepress.com/tools/
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Music in this video:
"Blue Break", "Chances", "Trips", downloaded from the KZbin audio library.
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[@franciscalouw9212]

i have watched at least five mezzotint demonstrations now and yours is by far the most informative. Thank you.

[@cassandralindgren8900]

This seriously helps me be less afraid of the mezzotint process! I appreciate this video so much as I try to tackle my final for my printmaking 2 class!!!

[@irenebutcher2744]

The most helpful guide to mezzotinting I've found, thank you.

[@1oribe926]

Brilliant introduction to this process. clear and comprehensive. many thanks for sharing.

[@suzanneboswell6104]

Great video. Thank you for posting. You have a wonderful way to teach your methods. I understand far better than before

[@DiodePress]

I'm glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@TonyFleetwood]

this is probably one of my more favorite lost arts, great video!

[@merrillheubach6953]

Just took a mezzotint workshop and need to follow up with some more details. This video was so very helpful Thanks a lot.

[@setachampi]

This helps so much... just about to make my first Mezzotint, you make a wide explanation, perfect for newbies like me. Thanks for sharing.

[@DiodePress]

ulyses con h Glad it helped! Mezzotint is a lot of fun to do. Let me know if you have any questions or anything I can help with, and thanks for checking out the videos!

[@danfs85]

Ive learned more with your video than 1 month of my crap classes. Thank you!

[@DiodePress]

+Dan Fs Ha! Well I'm happy it helped! I did not learn a ton about mezzotint in my printmaking classes, so it was a lot of self-guided research.

[@alannamason6770]

clear, concise and informative...well done

[@donaldmacwatt7328]

Thanks for your detailed demo and comments. Very instructive and perfectly demonstrated. It's the best I have run into. Don

[@DiodePress]

+Donald MacWatt I'm glad to hear, thanks a lot! I have plans for a lot of new mezzotint projects in 2016!

[@cararcher]

Nice video -thanks! Just starting a mezzotint so this was perfect viewing

[@OnkelBermuda]

Really great video. Thorough and helpful. Thanks:)

[@hollyburns4665]

What happens if you use mezzotint tools on plexi?

[@TheMiltonMeadow]

Thanks for sharing. I was looking for more information on early book printing methods for a grad course on the history of books. Very helpful! Thx

[@williammedford6031]

Thank you so much for this excellent presentation. I learned a great deal.

[@DiodePress]

Awesome, glad it could help. Mezzotint is a lot of fun!

[@rogerinvan]

Very informative video, thank you!

[@rothkopietri]

It help the people to learning how to use the rigth tool for any pourpose in the Cooper plate. I'm teaching in Caracas Venezuela and this video is very usefull yo teach technique to the people in my workshop. Thanks!

[@chemofloyd]

Excelente explicación, muchas gracias! 👏👏👏

[@kersouw]

Thanks for your helpful instructions, great channel. -Kersouw, Netherlands

[@DiodePress]

kersouw I'm glad it was helpful, thanks for having a watch! I recently spent some time in Amsterdam, you live in an amazing country!

[@CoxJoxSox]

Excellent demo

[@DiodePress]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@RheeYeon]

very helpful :D thank you for posting!

[@inanyt]

Thanks for the great videos! For a second I tought I was watching a video by Strictoaster, you definitely look like him :D

[@nelsonkerley6090]

very helpful, thank you for this !!

[@DiodePress]

For sure! Thanks for checking it out!

[@ankita8069]

Great video! thx a lot for sharing !

[@DiodePress]

I'm glad you liked it. thanks!

[@kathleenpiercefield1189]

This is an excellent video, and corrected some erroneous instruction I received elsewhere. One question - when rocking the plate, should the rocker be positioned perpendicular to the plate - straight up and down- or at an angle? And should the angle be toward the bevel or away from it? I think I might have been given some wrong information on this too. Any clarification you can give would be so helpful! Thanks!

[@debndan]

Love your videos. I'm working with mezzotint and saw the video for sharpening the rocker but any video regarding sharpening the scrapers?

[@michellaval7302]

Très bien expliqué. C'est passionnant, merci. Je m'abonne !

[@yay-cat]

Thanks!

[@jujuana2361]

Thank you for the clear information and tool use demonstrations. nice tool case. do you sharpen your rockers? if you do, have you created a tutorial on this subject.

[@DiodePress]

juju ana Thanks for watching! I do sharpen my own rockers, I'll put it on my list to include in a future video. I've also sent them out to be sharpened as well when I've chipped teeth off, just so I did not mess them up too bad :)

[@mariaconstanzabriceno5903]

Thank you!, I really enjoyed it!...where do you get those tools?, do you think I could ship them from south america, I live in Chile. I have a few of them I think, I am curious about the rounded one and the roulette. Thank you!

[@DiodePress]

María Constanza Briceño Thanks for watching! I buy a lot of my tools from www.eclyons.com/ The website says to email for international shipping, so they might send them to Chile. I also buy from www.graphicchemical.com, but I can't find anything on shipping outside if the US. Hope that helps!

[@allensloane5833]

I have made etchings for 40 years, mostly bitten line with development and corrections in drypoint and engraving. I enjoyed your demonstration and explanation- well done. It's helpful to see your tricks, the jig for rocking, your version of the diffuser screen. wrapping tape on the blades of your scrapers... I have different boxes for tools and I have thought of ways to create inserts to hold each tool and scooped out space for the finger gripping. How did you make your inserts?

[@DiodePress]

Thanks for watching! I'm going to be making a video about my printmaking tool box soon and will go into all the details. But for the tool drawer I used a block of dense foam with the outline of the tools cut out of it (including room to grip the tools). Then using spray adhesive and thin fabric I covered it for a clean look and the tools drop in perfectly.

[@allensloane5833]

Diode Press Thanks, I guess even styrofoam would work if you plan to cover with fabric. Felt might work nicely.

[@cattiemolina]

So helpful, thank you! Any tips on wiping technique? You do it very quickly and expertly, I find I get anomalies and sometimes white spots where there shouldn't be (overwiping? wrong angle?....). Probably seems like a dumb question to you but I'd appreciate any tips you have, thanks!

[@DiodePress]

Cat Ingrams not a dumb question at all. It's something that takes a while to get the feel for, and I've seen people do it many ways, and every plate will respond differently. The way I learned was to try to use light pressure and allow the tarlatan to do the work (I use dirty inky parts of the tarlatans at first, and slowly move to cleaner sections). If you have a lot of lines in one direction, I try to wipe perpendicular to them to avoid dragging out too much ink. Often the stiffness of the ink can also effect it. I would maybe try to take one plate and try and ink it up and practice wiping it with different methods (pressure, direction, total strokes, or total time) and keep a little notebook of what you did differently for each print and see if you can figure out where you are going astray. Hope this helps! I'll try and slow down on one of my future videos for this step and you can see a bit more how I do it. Hope this helps!

[@cattiemolina]

Diode Press great advice, thanks!

[@juneholly433]

More usefullll(like yours) info about tools and marks in printing techniques PLEASE!!!asap...... Thank you! I am doing printmaking course and in JUST 4 weeks(leftfrom10) i have to get as much i can because of access to the press.Iam obsessed about textures so i even prepere in advance my plates to be printed. This is VERY sad story when tutors don't know about tools available on the most popular websites and also they just tell you"these are tools,make marks on your own design,after half-term we are going to print your plate and then you can try aquatint to make some areas of your plate darker. You know this is about time,be patient" YESSS!!!!this is about time!!!1 plate=12 hours(3 weeks gone +aquatint and drying time... and just not result and possibility to try something to improove my printings and inking process. PS.Please stay INDEPENDENT.

[@georgejohnson3889]

Any reason why you couldn't use a laser engraver to make the plate?

[@enterusername2084]

U remind me of peter draws. You are super talented

[@sunilkumbhare4252]

Very nice mezzotint work