Rare Book School 2009 Day 3 in C'ville

Another great day in C'ville. Spent today looking at various engravings and etchings (copper, steel, etc) and learning about technique and implications. We had a lab in the afternoon where we did dry-point etchings, inked and printed them. Suffice it to say, you can talk about inking a plate and cleaning it for printing....and then you can do it and *understand* what it means. Very cool.

Useful notes:

Mezzotint: Black islands in a white sea.

Aquatint: White islands in a black sea. (also stipple)

Copper plate: approx. 1500 prints at the very most.

Steel plate: approx. 100,000

Steel over copper (1 molecule thick): effectively unlimited as when it wears, you can remove the steel and reapply it.

"A stipple engraver is an etcher."

"Common sense in direct conflict with good taste."

"The good is the enemy of the best."

"You can have Good, Fast, or Cheap in any combo of TWO...but only TWO."

And my favorite: "The difference between an original and a reproduction is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

Highlight: We handled the original plates for the hand-painted aquatint edition of Oliver Twist.

We lost power in early afternoon...exciting in a classroom effectively underground. We continued on thanks to our very cool Zemco lights (see image in prior post). We had a nice tour of the Albert Small Special Collections and Movie Night in the evening.

I finished the evening at a wonderful Mediterranean bistro with five lovely and brilliant biblio-women. Had a great meal, a very good beer (Arrogant Bastard Ale) and outstanding company. It was a great day and wonderful evening. Can't wait until tomorrow.