Jack Richeson 689090 Carve 36 Pack Etching Plate, 5″ x 7″, Clear

This is my first foray into drypoint art, and I highly recommend these for beginners, especially at less than $1 per plate when I bought them. Also, you can easily cut this in two for smaller prints.I started with a drypoint “etching” (not really an etch because it’s not chemical) of the Fab Four, and it turned out pretty okay (don’t forget to flip your image as I did because it will print in reverse—Sorry, Paul!).I then used a scribing pencil to imitate a classic woodblock print of Saint George and the Dragon by Albrecht Durer (see photo). I’m not sure if it was the scribe or the plate, but sometimes it felt as if there was a path that my scribe wanted to follow, so it did take some pressure with finesse to get my lines to go where I wanted them, particularly curved shapes.These have a protective film on both sides. Just peel one away and draw your design with a sharpie (or tape it underneath to trace), and scratch away! I printed this onto Strathmore 400-series printmaking paper with Akua Intaglio Ink using a converted craft embossing press. Then I watercolored one of the prints.