Kitty WATT
Kitty works from an outbuilding at her croft in Caithness, specialising in Aquatint Etching. Most of her images are inspired by the far north of Scotland and Orkney. She has exhibited in well-established galleries throughout Scotland for many years.
The etching process is detailed and painstaking, and she explains it as follows:
"Etching is an exciting and varied art form and Aquatint is only one technique of many that can be used. There is as much skill in the inking of the plate as there is in the application of the image onto the metal. This is what makes each print so individual.
The etching plate is usually made of zinc,copper or steel. It is cleaned and coated in acid-resistant “hard ground”. The design is scratched onto the plate and immersed in acid, which bites into the metal forming a groove. This gives a linear design.
Powdered rosin is sprinkled onto the plate and sealed with heat. This coats the metal in a fine dust. Varnish is painted onto the areas of the plate to be kept light and it is immersed in acid for a very short time. More areas of the plate are painted as it is immersed for longer and longer times. This gives tones to the etching.
The cleaned plate is then coated with ink, polished with muslin and tissue paper before it is placed face up on the etching press. It is then covered with damp paper and blankets before it is moved through the press to produce one print. It then has to be re-inked for each individual aquatint etching."
