Magical Secrets About Aquatint: Spit Bite, Sugar Lift & Other Etched Tones Step-by-Step
The third in crown Point Press's series on printmaking, this book does exactly what it says on the cover. Its meticulous, step-by-step approach means that even printmakers who are confident with aquatint will find it helpful. The book is like a Russian doll in its presentation of the technique-each chapter revealing a different aspect of the process. While it can sometimes seem a little short of illustrations, the excellent text more than compensates. The 'how to' descriptions are also richly supported by the masterful images that the author has chosen to exemplify particular effects. Many are the work of some very famous artists: Al Held, Ed Ruscha, Tony Cragg, Elaine De Kooning and Francesco Clemente among them. Crown Point Press is, after all, among the most celebrated of all American print studios. Whether you are a lover of aquatint or among those who have often found themselves frustrated by it, this is the book for you. The accompanying CD is 2 1/2 hours long (as long as it took me to read the book!) but being able to see the master printmaker at work, as described in the book, is a huge bonus. - --Megan Fishpool, Artist-printer & writer, UK, Printmaking Today, 2009