Aquatint

This aquatint is an acrylic liquid substance which is applied on the plate by spraying it on evenly with an airbrush. It can be etched and stopped-out like in traditional aquatint. The airbrush can also be a part of the creative process by using it for drawing and painting. This also offers even changes of tone.

The aquatint should be sprayed on in a certain density. After that you should notice: the more aquatint that is sprayed on, the lighter will be the etched tone.
It is recommended to run water through the airbrush before beginning to apply the aquatint. Airbrushes have a tendency to clog and therefore should be cleaned carefully with water after spraying. In case of clogging, you should run a mild solution of soda through it or soak the disassembled parts of the airbrush in a soda solution overnight.

Before spraying on the plate, the nozzle of the airbrush--and therefore the size of the aquatint grains--should be adjusted by making some test sprays on white paper.
For spraying the aquatint, the airbrush is led with an outstretched arm evenly and slowly over the plate in regular lines. Direction should be changed outside the plate area to avoid irregularities. The plate should be leaned against a white paper background to more accurately follow the spray path of the airbrush (which is not clearly visible on copper).
After that the plate has to be dried.
While spraying on the aquatint you should wear a respiration mask and take care for adequate aeration.

Material: Acrylic Aquatint

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