https://www.frederickmershimer.com/portraiture-wells daily 1.0 2023-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778455052-BKH5EYNS106QB21NJELH/luminous.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Luminous, 6 1/4 x 4 1/4", mezzotint . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778455052-BKH5EYNS106QB21NJELH/luminous.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Luminous, 6 1/4 x 4 1/4", mezzotint . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650698331402-NZ05A9OLRJYN4TWSOOUP/beacon.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Beacon, 15 x 8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778374973-VVL6A27A1V5ASFHT8NS3/cleveland_place.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Cleveland Place, 9 x 6", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650698367994-PGPY87BGR6M4OQM6Z76T/crossing++copy.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Crossing, 24 x 36", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778414303-IK3QPUIE2CA6UPBMFSPR/gateway.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Gateway, 13 1/2 x 23 5/8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650839566798-FRKRVIBJOGXG25UIBJ7S/above_the_rush.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Above the Rush, 12 x 18" mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840040628-38VDE9WBO3RU3B9S1UVU/gotham.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Gotham, 10 x 7 1/8" mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840509455-U5T0BJSHX0I18SO47FIR/NIagara.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Niagara, 27 3/4 x 38", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778507618-8OH3W3VF97OJLNQY4B4O/moonlight.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Moonlight, 18 3/4 x 20", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650839799534-N5T0TC5KOXWN993CHRK9/across_the+floor.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Across the Floor, 12 x 18, mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778353348-DKZCS2118HNFE6RAVIBF/after_hours_.jpg Home/Mezzotint - After Hours 6 1/4 x 12", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650839939294-D5UJ463XMSHJ5OQYD5DM/empire_glow.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Empire Glow, 8 1/4 x 10", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650778481020-S60RJTYLO7YKWZ93USE6/pinnacles.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Pinnacle , 12 1/2 x 9 1/2", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651177688993-T84WPQXDW3JXBMYX9BOM/dakota.jpg Home/Mezzotint - The Dakota, 9 1/2 x 6 1/4", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650867946884-UNDVVN0XAC6ZCTXHQSEO/arcade.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Arcade, 6 3/4 x 8 1/4", drypoint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840730590-WAJSUZQQMBX6YZLZUY29/surf_avenue.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Surf Avenue, 9 x 19", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650839960434-Q1LVJLLMXPMPW7NBTH4X/eye_of_the_storm.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Eye of the Storm, 15 x 25", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650839980846-J8T9EWCFATFQF2FA3Y8E/fIlm_noir_fw.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Film Noir, 15 x 21", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840751414-VNR5PVHO76S4ULTA53ZR/rebuilding_8th_ave.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Rebuilding 8th Avenue, 9" x 12", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840071406-7KU3C9GPOS9KLGPF9SRJ/hermes.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Hermes, 9 3/4 x 7 1/2", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840607346-YVI1GVB06ZL6UWNMATCY/play_here.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Play Here, 6 1/8" x 10", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840214063-7ZIF5RY3WIVQKYAHDEDY/jewel_box.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Jewel Box, 6 x 9", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840164829-TAJ7WB10TDC2KKJCFV5F/into+night+final.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Into the Night, 6 3/4 x 5", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840253726-Q4MMOA4FIPY85D4PNNCN/lafitte.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Lafitte's, 6 1/2 x 9 3/4", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861922853-WWN2U8TNJ84BKQ2KZ1BU/summer+serenade.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Summer serenade, 11 5/8 x 10 5/8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651185190710-41VI9UPFG37CO815PYUF/Cape+Moon.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Cape moon, 5 3/4 x 9", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840471568-8V3F2WKAE80HKK2ILFSG/mershimer_works_of_man.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Works of Man, 9 1/4 x 15", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651198142984-1YA7X9UYT3M6TUSEE1K1/across_the_street.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Across the Street, 12 x 18", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840680324-WGX6R727AAOPY60CIAED/the_great_divide.jpg Home/Mezzotint - The Great DIvide, 16 5/8" x 26 1/2", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650868148746-FKPVPGKXK6L6UJ5TGAFH/pylons+.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Pylon, 8 3/4 x 11 5/8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840547775-E06H0JTDII6M4NIU4OVT/oldfulton.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Old Fulton, 9 x 12", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861939468-DFWT26TV8SRDQQLVSGO3/jefferson+market.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Jeferson Market, 6 7/8 x 7 3/8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840700850-XQPNNXZKVULJWHZJB45K/the_rising_sun.jpg Home/Mezzotint - The Rising Sun, 7 3/8 x 10", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840491805-5QFFM78ZX4EXZF2S5Q9W/metropolitan.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Metropolitan, 7 x 11 5/8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651184051681-GGL71T7CVVE2BIFQCPXD/sentinel.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Sentinel, 19 x 25 1/2", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861189705-C1A68RYCM8TDSOAOWSDV/penthouse.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Penthouse, 13 1/2 x 23" mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861201185-DGNNGB961WKLO38ZLUIM/passage.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Passage, 7 x 11 3/4", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861885647-MIEUFJSCEVLGMTECIMNP/Quarter+After+One+print.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Quarter After One, 12 3/4" x 22", mezzotint French Quarter doorways on Charters Street at night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651181950296-563ZXTQUDA3J6JR93YIQ/ascension.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Ascension, 11 5/8 x 9 5/8", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651178288677-QZELXWC3JM6BAVMIX0XH/plymouth+street.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Plymouth Street, 9 x 6", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861898690-AZM4D7G53J6JKTUXC70P/museumnight.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Museum Night, 9 x 12", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861963131-DDICHD9VMX2TL8YCKS6Q/rivals.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Rivals, 6 3/4 x 9 1/2", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650862028392-QRNS81VA0GQOR3KEHWMW/garden+gate.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Garden Gate, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4" mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650861216912-GFRE3NW38V3B55LH3Q9V/portal.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Portal, 13 1/2 x 23 1/4”, mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650840423838-FZG61GV6UMTYS6SG7NCF/manhattan_bound.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Manhattan Bound, 6 1/2" x 11 3/4", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650862008634-RPXAB2JTT1D7VUF7XFWE/three_bridges.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Three Bridges, 11 1/2 x 18", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650839558425-LKFF6Y9XFZ8E5240DP5Z/4th_avenue.jpg Home/Mezzotint - 4th Avenue, 4 1/4 x 11 1/4" mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650868084168-UZ0O8Y3EGIXJIAE7ZVEV/firedance.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Fire Dance, 5 3/8 x 10", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651176493867-57IK1O6KVO8Q1XUT456B/rooftops.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Rooftops, 14 x 24", mezzotint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651178302503-C3Y21CO0RESFGAE7I2O3/olympians.jpg Home/Mezzotint - Olympians, 3 1/2 x 8 3/8", mezzotint https://www.frederickmershimer.com/human-nature-wells daily 0.75 2022-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651209776445-MD3B19QP7UN4NMZBI5MT/lower_east_side.jpg Drawing - Lower East Side, 9 x 6 1/4", Pencil on Mylar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651209776445-MD3B19QP7UN4NMZBI5MT/lower_east_side.jpg Drawing - Lower East Side, 9 x 6 1/4", Pencil on Mylar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820995789-JJRHX6SG1IWQRHEU351K/manhattan+bound_drawing.jpg Drawing - Manhattan Bound, 8 x 13", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650697754258-SMFQMW1VLWX125K444C9/fIlm_noir_fw.jpg Drawing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820680470-FSQBIECSIAJR2KS2TUEH/MetLife_drawing.jpg Drawing - West 24th Street, 11 x 6", pencil on mylar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651124857930-YUV0KVFF0DDCMUVMBGT4/Comics+Store.jpg Drawing - Mid Town, 11 x 9 3/8", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820478623-93OV26S392MLUPMZHNUP/niagara-american.jpg Drawing - Niagara's American Falls, 14 x 22 1/2", pencils on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651209288196-GM42AVFST5FF4ROWD3L0/Met+Life+drawing.jpg Drawing - Met Life, 11 7/8 x 9", drawing on paper Metropolitan Life Tower as seem from West 24th Street https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820502333-6HTR66O1BIP875AZA866/niagara_big+cloud.jpg Drawing - Big Cloud, 17 x 47", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820458187-NUWPDOM7A0SGR55US5ED/niagara_ink_gouasche.jpg Drawing - Worlds Edge II, 17 3/4 x 30", ink and gouache on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820923019-8I8W62HB9G25L937X92L/drawing_edge_world.jpg Drawing - Edge of the World, 22 1/4 x 24", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820648476-FPG7SJHH1IJUA4MJ2JTM/Horse+shoe.jpg Drawing - Niagara Falls, 19 1/2 x 55", pencils on paper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651209068280-W2BWTZK7DAT4SYKIIE6Y/Niagara+Garden+of+Eden+and+Mist+and+Foam.jpg Drawing - Garden of Eden, 16 x 58", pencil on papers These two triptychs are created from four sheets of paper. They envisioned the falls with out any signs of mans intrusion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820624586-BVYO4B8FA2KVHTTT32Q4/quarter_after_one.jpg Drawing - Quarter After One, 12 3/4" x 22", pencil on mylar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650821335894-ERBXV9Q3SAC329AIG2YU/works_of_man_drawing.jpg Drawing - Works of Man, 8 1/2 x 13 1/2", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820432339-RQWKW267FVKFE4W871Y1/aladin_drawing.jpg Drawing - 42nd Street, 13 x 20", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651117343984-RFWDY6HLHGL0G1298R78/Three+bridges.jpg Drawing - Three Bridges, 11 3/8 x 18 1/2", pencil paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651125160427-M6YEWIW92VUOBME3ASXT/Long+Island+City+Drawing.jpg Drawing - Long Island City, 10 1/2" x 21 1/2", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651125430732-61FO6X5BCAHSPRFCZT07/Surf+Avenue+drawing.jpg Drawing - Surf Avenue, 11 1/4 x 21", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651127565891-XFQMZAHVEG7RD73SK4X0/Manhattan+Bridge+cabels.jpg Drawing - Cables, 8 3/8 x 23 1/4", pencil on paper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650820971459-Z6LYCZO8LTYUXWV0CMNC/lower_east_side.jpg Drawing - Lower East Side, 9 x 6 1/4", Pencil on Mylar. Drawing looking up Eldridge Street to the Chrysler Building. https://www.frederickmershimer.com/painting daily 0.75 2022-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650997053018-AI30OZRL5453OTFCEWW1/Long%2BIsland%2BCity.jpg Painting - Long Island City, 11 x 20", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650997053018-AI30OZRL5453OTFCEWW1/Long%2BIsland%2BCity.jpg Painting - Long Island City, 11 x 20", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651130096692-7V6U1FFMS58DNGTYLYSH/bird%2Bwith%2Bnest.jpg Painting - Shelter, 14 x 14", oil on panel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650996665689-QB0F226NLPGP0IBY6GKQ/Late+Afternoon.jpg Painting - Late Afternoon, 22 x 40", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650996646102-IOEI7G8HTJFDAM0J2R2F/fun_city.jpg Painting - Fun City, 20 x 17 1/2", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650996623683-BYKI70KV7FRDFKN53SWF/Brooklyn+Bridge.jpg Painting - Brooklyn Bridge, 24 1/2" x 18", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650996585356-KGDKQUJ9NQ5CODSVJAXP/27th+Street+copy.jpg Painting - 27th Street, 20 x 15 1/2", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1650996712535-O91LF04XN2HT8MXTW1RU/Orange+Clouds.jpg Painting - Rooftop, 17 x 31", Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651102762598-X9UQYB56VHM8J5M1TK31/news+stand.jpg Painting - News Stand, 10 x 11 1/2" Oil on panel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651210944556-CLP8GKRTXMW30L71BXB8/Wonderland.jpg Painting - Wonderland, 18 x 24", oil on panel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1651100968805-HNO5N7QUUBNVVA580M0Z/clift-paradise+garden.jpg Painting - Paradise gardens, 12 x 9", Oil on panel. https://www.frederickmershimer.com/archive-project daily 0.75 2026-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790885709144-Z06NP5KQ4KCDFI7QLBP1/Archive+project+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Archive Project This page presents a selection from the archives of my intaglio career. During the pandemic, I went through my drawers and discovered all kinds of proofs, which I began photographing and organizing. I hope this page offers an educational look at how mezzotint and color prints are created. Ultimately, I hope to find a home for these archives in a public institution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790885709144-Z06NP5KQ4KCDFI7QLBP1/Archive+project+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Archive Project This page presents a selection from the archives of my intaglio career. During the pandemic, I went through my drawers and discovered all kinds of proofs, which I began photographing and organizing. I hope this page offers an educational look at how mezzotint and color prints are created. Ultimately, I hope to find a home for these archives in a public institution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790210334281-FZWBY8Z2L2ZJ02VITADB/Epire+State+Building+finishxx+copy.jpg Archive Project - Empire Sate Building -finished print This line etching was the first intaglio print I ever created. It depicts the Empire State Building at night in the background, with small- and mid-level buildings in the foreground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755280358470-AC7XDX4DJOIPGJIS1Q2K/Empire+State+Proof+1.jpg Archive Project - Empire State Building - first state This is the first proof of my first etching. I didn’t have time to finish the drawing on the plate, so part of the Empire State Building was not fully rendered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790209143712-VMKD7NRWYB2P6DU0OMQW/Archive+project+3A+copy.jpg Archive Project - Archive Project Title Card This page has a selection of the archives of my intaglio career. During the pandemic I went through the drawers and found all kinds of proofs and began to photograph and organize them. I hope this page can be educational in how mezzotint and color prints are created. Ultimately I hope to find a home for these archives in a public institution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755280376851-XQFRYJDN6JC1NBUUXJ66/Empire+State+Proof+2.jpg Archive Project - Empire State Building - second state The second state has additional marks that are darker than those in the first state. The first state was etched in an older, weaker acid bath, while the second etching was done using a fresh, stronger acid bath. I learned a valuable lesson from this process: the condition of the acid is important for achieving consistent results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755280392783-7AYH7OOI0S7PHDZ9LN0S/Empire+State+Proof+3.jpg Archive Project - Empire State Building - third state proof This image shows where I removed much of the background sky using my scraper and burnisher. Through this process, I learned a great deal about adding and removing marks in my first print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755280413903-0QRGICQCUTM6ARAR3VX0/Empire+State+Proof+4+copy.jpg Archive Project - Empire State Building -fourth statef This shows the next stage in the evolution of the print, where I added a new sky. I did this by re-grounding the plate, scratching through the waxy ground, and then re-etching the plate in the acid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755280427880-9GJX66FEMGHU4SHCQMWX/Empire+State+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Empire sketch Pencil sketch with notes depicting the window details of the Empire State Building. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790480376415-TY43BJ0ED3IQUEXW0OPI/St-Agustine+3-states+copy.jpg Archive Project - Sy Augustine Proofs Mezzotint is a subtractive process in which the image is developed from dark to light. A dark ground is created by texturing a copper plate so that it will hold ink. The image is then created using a burnisher and scraper to reduce the texture, allowing the plate to hold less ink. The lightest tones are produced in areas where the copper has been completely smoothed. (See About Page for more information). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790465346115-ADWNHYT5JULNXA5M91Y9/Hermes+xx.jpg Archive Project - Hermes finished Print This scene depicts a nighttime Mardi Gras parade by the Krewe of Hermes. It was the first Mardi Gras parade I had ever seen, and I was captivated by its pageantry. The imagery for this print was drawn from five different photographs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790480582115-CPDYRHB3P0DXBIVYWPDD/hermes+1st+copy.jpg Archive Project - Hermes first proof These next three proofs demonstrate the dark-to-light process of creating an image in mezzotint. The plate can look deceptively lighter than the resulting print, but when in doubt, it is best to err on the side of underworking the plate. You can always lighten the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231562301-FUFYZICU2MXEBZ9948B4/hermes+third+copy.jpg Archive Project - Hermes second proof A mezzotint plate is sculptural, with a certain depth to its texture. When working, I error on preserving more of that texture then less, because it is always possible to take away, but much more difficult to add back and still maintain a seamless tone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790465321059-VQEJQYBANQIQ8GSY3OL1/Hermes+TP.jpg Archive Project - Hermes trial proof Each of the past three proofs has become progressively lighter, while the chiaroscuro quality of the knight leading the parade remains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790490797366-MWXUL3S5UBA1I8KRZ29I/Hermes+U+sketch+front+copy.jpg Archive Project - Hermes sketch I was looking for reference material for the figure on the float. At the National Gallery of Art, I found a version of the sculpture displayed in the main entrance. I found a museum card nearby and used the back of it to make a quick sketch. This ballpoint sketch gave me the information I needed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231007334-QFUWBJ3XHY7TQZYIIYGM/Plymouth-St+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Plymouth Street A twilight scene in DUMBO, looking down Plymouth Street toward the Brooklyn Bridge at the end of the street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790230926563-UN5ETDV09PN0D5UF7FQV/Plymouth-Orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Plymouth Street - orange plate This is the orange plate for Plymouth Street, which is printed first. A separate plate is used for each color. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790230950024-5RLZX93KDAZQ6JZMNKKE/Plymouth-Blue.jpg Archive Project - Plymouth Street - blue plate The sky on the blue plate is created by using a roulette-grounded mezzotint, while the street and side buildings are etched with aquatint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790230987336-INHB3IPZ539NI20EBU2J/Plymouth-Key+copy.jpg Archive Project - Plymouth Street - mezzotint plate With color images, the color plates are relatively simple, while most of the detail comes from the key plate. The deep tones of this mezzotint plate set the mood for the entire image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790230967532-9EQFWIW4804FNZQMU38H/Plymouth-Drawing+copy.jpg Archive Project - Plymouth Street - sketch A sketch blocking out the composition for the Plymouth Street print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295708962-ONO4C5Z33O64PA5IXMGW/Grace+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grace Church - final print Grace Church was the first mezzotint I ever attempted. I was first introduced to mezzotint at my first job as a picture framer in New York City, and I was immediately drawn to the unique qualities of the medium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295676053-UHKYATZ0YZNVPUKHDS2A/Grace+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grace Church - first proof This was the first proof of my very first mezzotint, shown on top, while the small plate on the bottom was my first drypoint. I learned many lessons from mistakes I had made. After making this proof, I picked up my rocker—the tool used to re-texture the plate—and rocked over the plate in several directions before starting again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295694567-MMDQ0JVKBV9QBVDTPE7P/Grace+3+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grace Church - third proof I was beginning to get a handle on this new medium and understand what was happening technically. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295746865-MMJXIT1UP8KJ50GZ3DU8/Grace+sketch+original+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grace Church - sketch with notes I drew this sketch on site, studying the church steeple and noting details and tonal shifts as I observed them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295767383-A8RFAU76DY2ZGACSD5JH/Grace+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grace Church - sketch II Sketch of Grace Church with cranes in background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295788455-NG02L6LS3AO9AU8SPYNC/Grace+water+color+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grace Church - study Watercolor and graphite on mat board depicting the Grace Church steeples centered in the foreground, with cranes constructing Zeckendorf Towers in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790224945041-2BXD3B5TNE28V65DSOSJ/Dakota+xx.jpg Archive Project - The Dakota A winter nighttime scene depicting the front entrance of the Dakota apartment building. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790224960778-XQ6AK9YXTD80LN1POENT/Dakota+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Dakota's orange plate This aquatint plate is created by melting powdered rosin onto the copper plate as a resist and then applying ferric chloride. The acid etches around the particles of melted rosin, creating a textured surface that holds ink. The longer the acid etches the copper, the darker the area will print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790224976305-MNZOO8P5ZXBZNHZB9ZGR/Dakota+red+1st+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Dakota's red plate The first proof of the red plate was created using spit-bite aquatint. The term spit-bite aquatint refers to an etching technique. When ferric solution is applied to copper, it tends to bead up on the surface. Adding saliva to the acid breaks the surface tension, allowing the mixture to flow more smoothly and remain in place. The acid-and-saliva mixture is painted directly onto the plate, which has been coated with melted rosin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790225710197-ZT3QHHWCFBVACA1TD5FG/Dakota+red+2+copy+2.jpg Archive Project - The Dakota - red plate By applying saliva to the plate first and then brushing acid into it, the two liquids gradually merge, creating delicate tonal variations and fluid, watercolor-like effects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790225022948-T236AUR5D4QFKE277ZER/Dakota+red+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Dakota - proof of orange and red plate Proof of the first and second plates printed together. When printing multiple plates, the plates are printed from the lightest tones to the darkest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790225099434-FBY2DK1DJCWQGOHBCNAH/Dakota+key+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Dakota's mezzotint key plate The key plate captures most of the details and subtle tonalities. It is printed last, allowing it to dominate the two color plates beneath it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228671744-3G9IA1X2VHNE9PY2HIZ9/Cleveland+Place+XX+copy.jpg Archive Project - Cleveland Place - finished print The Old Police Headquarters at night, with lights from the domed clock tower cutting through the darkness like a pair of eyes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1789954052125-EMAGEZQFDRADTOMELQBR/Archive+project.jpg Archive Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228723402-CH4TQLMQC20LVUFN85I3/Cleveland+Place+1drawing+copy.jpg Archive Project - Cleveland Place - proof with drawing on top A proof of Cleveland Place, with white colored pencil used to visualize the highlights to be developed in the final print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228706547-4PYA4L1DXS2373FUSCVD/Cleveland+Place+bag+crop+copy.jpg Archive Project - Cleveland Place - sketch This ballpoint drawing of the Old Police Headquarters was made on a white paper bag. The night I came upon this scene, I wanted to capture it. I found a white paper bag near a local falafel shop and used it to make this quick sketch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227315380-FULDBBW9KYTX3D0W57ZL/Luminous+5+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - finished print This view shows the Empire State Building lighting up the night sky in the background, while dark smoke rises in the foreground and swirls around the Empire’s spire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227283228-PQR1R1MFYO0UCO9N7U0H/Luminous+1stA+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - second proof This print is unusual because the dark foreground plate is an aquatint that will be worked in a subtractive mezzotint manner. A burnisher and scraper will be used to reduce the etched texture created by the acid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227297915-KRMWJDVW7W3F51CLE0DR/Luminous+1st+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous This is the second proof of Luminous, where I began carving out tones from the solid black aquatint ground. Aquatint grounds are much more difficult to burnish than mezzotint grounds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790885255463-WY30HH4YC31REKYJX3Q7/Luminous+5+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - fifth state proof Further development of the aquatint portion of this print. Generally, burnishing an aquatint plate is not recommended, as it does not provide the same range or control as a rocked mezzotint plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227343081-4FD9Z0W2UPOA1DAL0NY5/Luminous+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - proof. of the orange plate The orange plate is the first plate to be printed and is created using spit-bite aquatint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227329923-OQ8BCGYPVMGR2GKLBGXP/Luminous+key+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - third plate This print is unusual because the dark foreground plate is an aquatint worked in a subtractive manner. The sky and smoke were created using spit-bite aquatint, in which a mixture of saliva and acid is painted onto the plate to create watercolor-like effects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790883693683-LFGG923PWGP5VZ944RWX/Luminous+1st+and+key.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - orange and second plate The Empire State Building and sky are created in mezzotint. The process begins by transferring the boundaries of the image, then masking the lower foreground area before rocking the upper portion of the plate. Shown here is the proof of the first and second plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227363029-F990SOND9LQS2VSS1ZBX/Luminous+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Luminous - sketch of foreground buildings Sketch of the steeple of Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, with the surrounding buildings in the foreground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228373931-E5NA4CAQW8RUDIERHDZ9/42nd+The+Great+Divide+4+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Great Divide This is a unique piece depicting the theater district on 42nd Street. It was originally released as The Great Divide in 1994 and was later revised and released in 1997 under the title 42nd Street. The marquees are the focus of the piece, documenting the transformation of 42nd Street from the adult movie theaters of the 1970s back into the traditional theater district. The foreground sign advertises a triple-X theater, contrasted with the theater across the street, whose sign reads, “Bring the Family.” The juxtaposition of these two signs captures the dramatic change in the character and identity of 42nd Street during this period. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228480717-OB57UOVGHJ3ERQPAB5U4/42nd+St+The+Great+Divivde+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - 42nd Street sketch This drawing establishes a perspective that deliberately breaks the rules. The two marquees closest to the viewer are stretched up to reveal the light bulbs and their reflections. The adult theater would normally have extended beyond the edge of the page, but the go-go girl on the sign was crucial to the meaning and purpose of the print, so the composition was adjusted to keep her in view. Some times you have to draw something wrong to get the right mood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228413952-CKVKYE993YSIL1O9RU6P/42nd+The+Great+Divide+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Great Divide An early proof of 42nd Street that includes an additional figure not present in the final version. The men’s store on the right side of the composition is only partially developed, providing a glimpse into the process of the work as it evolved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228388737-BRTCH1T9UO1A51VQ4O5O/42nd+The+Great+DCollage+copy.jpg Archive Project - The Great Divide - collage proof To visualize revisiting the plate, I made proofs and cut out sections of the street and sidewalk to cover the figures. I liked the background figure, but the foreground figures disrupted the spiral effect of the theater marquees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790879561883-1H3QRKCQO540YBUA6IMD/42nd+The+Great+Finished+copy+2.jpg Archive Project - 42nd Street - first proof This proof was made after re-rocking the lower-left portion of the plate and burnishing the revised area. Some fragments of the previous version remain visible in the print. In the lower-left corner, a hand and briefcase, while near the center of the print are remnants of the former woman and man. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790878905045-E43M2RY3420LJARQMGMJ/42nd+The+Street+1+crop.jpg Archive Project - 42nd Street - first proof (detail) Detail of the first proof. On the right-hand side of the new central figure, the right side of the original figure remains visible. The woman and man from the earlier version can also be seen in the center of the print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791180618375-TIPTIY5L0B863C4MH2GO/42nd+XXif.jpg Archive Project - 42nd Street - final print The finished revised 42nd Street print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228472983-EZQXWBQ3D12G9Z7W2V3G/42nd+The+Great+Divide+figure.jpg Archive Project - 42nd Street figures sketch Study of figures for The Great Divide print. My initial concept was to depict the crowds of people moving through the theater district. As the work developed, however, I decided to reduce the number of figures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790464131011-8VD03HPBL8BXPPXA48JD/passage+xx.jpg Archive Project - Passage A view looking east down East 41st Street toward the Pershing Bridge, with the scene extending to the New York Public Library. This mezzotint was created as the inaugural print for the Print Club of New York. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790463999264-W8MEUO4GCL9SR7N73230/Passage+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Passage detail sketch A ballpoint sketch exploring some of the window details of the building in the right-side foreground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790463998005-F2POZ0JZ2PTGHYFA2WAV/passage+plate.jpg Archive Project - Passage plate The copper mezzotint plate that is inked and coated with polyurethane. The plate has been canceled with four drill holes, which also serve as mounting points for display. Copper is the traditional matrix used for many intaglio prints, valued for its mailability. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790213280591-6QKP7QAVRL1CMCO5TTMG/4th+Avenue+Hand+Colored+copy.jpg Archive Project - 4th Avenue - final print A three-plate print depicting the 4th Avenue subway platform and tracks, with a small Statue of Liberty visible in the distance. This final print is hand-colored with small touches of red and yellow watercolor in selected areas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1789954238125-2QWPK453FGTC9VF8ZWLV/4th+Avenue+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Orange Plate of the 4th Avenue print Color prints almost always require multiple plates, with a separate plate used for each color. In this case, I inked a single plate with both orange and apricot ink. This technique, in which multiple colors are applied directly to one plate is called à la poupée. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1789954250283-YMCZ1NPB7U38SBK0YAF0/4th+Avenue+blue+copy.jpg Archive Project - Blue Plate of the 4th Avenue print This plate combines two processes: spit-bite aquatint for the subway station and roulette-ground mezzotint for the sky and train trestle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1789954263637-WMOGAJDXN9ZAPO9MYDAH/4th+Avenue+key+copy.jpg Archive Project - Mezzotint plate for 4th Avenue print This is the third plate for the 4th Avenue print and is executed in mezzotint. The mezzotint plate is printed last and is referred to as the key plate, providing the darkest tones and defining details of the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790213429310-F4BFK53PGG1J0U4FEK8V/4th+Avenue+blue+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - 4th Avenue print - orange and blue plate only Proof of the first and second plates. I print the lightest, brightest colors first to keep them pure, since some ink will transfer from the paper back onto the next plate. This avoids having to clean the a plate after each printing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1789954317618-E9H19TAR2ZS25OILE725/4th+Avenue+key+and+second+copy.jpg Archive Project - Blue and key mezzotint plate of the 4th Avenue print This is a proof of the second and third plates. In this image, the mezzotint portions of each plate combine to create the complete image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1789954146262-4OXHM9S8W01LNAK1MYIF/4th%2BAvenue%2BNO%2BHand%2BColored%2Bcopy.jpg Archive Project - 4th Avenue Print with no hand coloring The final print is hand-colored with small touches of red and yellow watercolor in selected areas. These subtle additions of color give the image an extra visual punch. This proof shows the image before the hand coloring was applied. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227527546-B4GR8Z1G38BSHI3T5859/Across+the+Floor+XX+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor Mezzotint and aquatint print depicting the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal, with figures and their reflections visible in the polished floor. In this piece, the aquatint is crucial to the development of the image, establishing much of the architectural structure and tonal atmosphere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227447331-QRAP0NVNODH2OKURKF4I/Across+the+Floor+orange+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor orange plate I The first proof of the orange plate for the Across the Floor print. The plate was created using the spit-bite aquatint technique. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227466471-I8S3IQ49JM3NN6DDNQDU/Across+the+Floor+orange+3+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor orange plate II The second proof of the orange plate for the Across the Floor print. Additional etching was done on the ceiling, and lighter tones were burnished into the aquatint ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227477410-SU6S7SHEQEF36RYBAED1/Across+the+Floor+orange+4+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor Orange plate III Final proof of the orange plate for the Across the Floor print. Additional etching was done on the ceiling, and I continued burnishing the aquatint ground to refine the lighter tones. The ink color was also adjusted to achieve the desired effect. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227410359-LR5YAYLK07KUCEL2K68W/Across+the+Floor+green+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor green plate I The first proof of the green plate for the Across the Floor print. The plate was created using the spit-bite aquatint technique. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227419164-WRZTHBOU7MG7KWSGP1HH/Across+the+Floor+green+3+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor green aquatint plate II The second proof of the green plate with additional tones added to the vaulted ceiling, walls, and floor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227428192-4MNRVTKPB0OS8JLFUY01/Across+the+Floor+green+orange+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor orange and green aquatint plate I This is the first proof of the two color plates that sit beneath the mezzotint plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227437836-KPFEMZ90UNHXVK9B1LOA/Across+the+Floor+green+orange+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor orange and green aquatint plate II The second proof of the two color plates. Highlights in the terminal walls are created by burnishing down the aquatint ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227396524-2FUIVYUVAEOY9N6J0SIB/Across+the+Floor+B%26W+.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor mezzotint plate This is the key mezzotint plate, which is printed on top of the previous proof. The color plates defines the ceiling and the mezzotint dark tones set off the figures and architectural details. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227489334-NJB5K5KHJKLN8WQDN0OM/Across+the+Floor+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor sketch This is a sketch of the scene drawn on three pieces of paper. It is common for me to begin drawing and if I want to expand the composition, I simply add another piece of paper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790227515070-EIV6ZTKMUBLW7FQF5NM3/Across+the+Floor+trace+copy.jpg Archive Project - Across the Floor Registration Mylar This Mylar is used to register the three plates. Multiple colored pens are used to ensure that that I don’t miss any details. The first tracing is done in pink, the second transfer in blue, and the final tracing in black. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229366096-8VSWHZ339WIAOKRJSMMS/Crossing-+copy.jpg Archive Project - Crossings Mezzotint of the elevated FDR Drive, with the Manhattan Bridge receding behind it and the Brooklyn Bridge in the distance. Texturing the 24 × 36-inch plate with a rocker took about four months. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790296448386-279GK9M2UC7S4O6V4CZF/Crossing-+sketch++copy+2.jpg Archive Project A drawing on two sheets of tracing paper used to work out the basic composition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229396592-CVQ00RUJ2IEDUQJUFZCK/Crossing-+tracing++copy.jpg Archive Project - Crossing tracing The final composition transferred to the mezzotint plate. The image is reversed because, when printed, it will be transferred onto the paper in the correct orientation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790487621433-D32Y0SPC91NHF1245O88/Manhatton+Bound+XX.jpg Archive Project - Manhattan bound - final print Mezzotint print depicting a Manhattan-bound F train entering Smith–9th Streets station, with the Williamsburg Savings Bank and the Kentile sign visible in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790487636430-8CB105JRTIITJSUTX7O7/Manhatton+Bound+1st+.jpg Archive Project - Manhattan bound - first proofing Working from dark to light, I always err on the side of making the plate too dark, since it is much easier to lighten it later. The first proof is somewhat murky, but it provides a useful starting point for developing the final tonal range. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790487665071-12SDAYRK6FTNYEYTOGNK/Manhatton+Bound+3.jpg Archive Project - Manhattan bound - third proofing The third proof is brighter and getting closer to the tonal range and overall effect I wanted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790917830240-EL0REQND96Y9MWWB959J/Manhatton+Bound+tracing.jpg Archive Project - Manhattan Bound - tracing The tracing transferred to the copper plate. The drawing is reversed because, when the paper is lifted from the plate, the image is mirrored from what appears on the plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790487701447-IGKDAV6WRPCDXZ5L1ORG/Manhatton+Bound+plate.jpg Archive Project - Manhattan Bound - plate This is the steel-faced plate for the Manhattan-bound image. I originally started with a copper plate, but copper is a relatively soft metal and its texture can wear down during printing. To ensure consistent, deep tones throughout the edition, the copper plate was electroplated with a thin layer of iron, creating a more durable printing surface. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228193878-KBIVMY1LJD6I81H5JDFR/Lafitte+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Lafitte's - finished print A nighttime scene of the shuttered upper windows of Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. This is a three-plate color print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228220016-Z7AZ5CQ2F5HQCUM5HL31/Lafitte+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Lafitte's - orange plate The orange proof for Lafitte’s features three distinct shades of orange. The building is rendered in cadmium orange, the upper windows in a yellow-orange, and the sky in an orange tone with a touch of brown added. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228237105-NN7ZAWQRP0LPAR27Y98Y/Lafitte+blue+copy.jpg Archive Project - Lafitte's - blue plate The blue plate proof for Lafitte’s demonstrates the watercolor-like qualities of spit-bite aquatint. The lightest tones are etched first, after which selected areas of the plate are stopped out to preserve those values. Acid is then brushed onto the exposed areas, gradually deepening the etching and producing darker tones. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228280864-RUSYSP9BTZNMQHTYV41R/Lafitte+both+1st+copy.jpg Archive Project - Lafitte's - orange and blue plate I This is the first proof of the orange and blue plates, printed before the plates were steel-faced. Ink can oxidize on copper, causing the printed colors to appear duller than the ink itself. Once the plates are steel-faced, the colors will print with brighter, purer tones. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228255089-BV5I2UTP58T3FS6K1Y44/Lafitte+both+2nd+copy.jpg Archive Project - Lafitte's - orange and blue plate II The orange and blue print much brighter in the second proof, after the plates were steel-faced. The steel facing allows the colors to retain their true color as well as keeping the plate from wearing out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228325006-T8SEQCY37RLOR7R7ORIB/Lafitte+black+copy.jpg Archive Project - Lafitte's - key plate Lafitte’s mezzotint plate is printed on top of the two color plates to create the finished print. The deep, rich tones of the mezzotint create a mysterious, atmospheric quality that captures the character of New Orleans at night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755287784050-DAQHIB6SWUWEXEIUNV4C/Empire+State+text.jpg Archive Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790470556419-ODKMGICMTHVVY6L48WMS/Penthouse+XX.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse This iconic view of Midtown Manhattan’s skyscrapers was captured from the rooftop of an apartment building at 8th Street and Broadway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790469538655-BHNI74TEGG5MM5G7XY5U/Penthouse+1st+gravure+copy+A.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse - first gravure proof This is one of three direct gravures I made. The process is similar to photogravure, but instead of using a photographic positive, I created a drawing on a Mylar sheet instead. I wasn’t happy with the results of the process alone, so I ended up reworking the plate with aquatint and mezzotint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790469599086-BGRYCMNNUFKLZABPB6WZ/Penthouse+4th+gravure+copy.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse - second proof Aquatint has been added, deepening the tones and introducing richer blacks into the foreground buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790469568086-UMPM59BE1KFLVKC2IQXP/Penthouse+3rd+gravure+copy.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse - third proof More aquatint has been added, along with mezzotint in select areas, such as the top of the Con Edison Building. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790469638744-YFVO6JQUU3KSLQWHI1QD/Penthouse+two+colors.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse - color proof An efficient way to proof a plate is to try several different ink colors on the plate at once. You can use a single piece of paper and spend only a little extra time carefully inking the plate, rather than making two separate proofs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790469553339-2NME3UME7XRS9221FER5/Penthouse+1st+gravure+copy.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse - rough sketch This is a drawing on black paper, using colored pencils to block in this nighttime scene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790469621666-2LVCS1EG2PKVCURHTZLK/Penthouse+tracing.jpg Archive Project - Penthouse - final drawing for plate A detailed drawing on tracing paper of the final composition for Penthouse. Copper is malleable, but it takes considerable work to alter a plate, so I like to fully develop the composition before staarting work on the copper plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790210696968-T1YRQDWVN0S1U4N80UAV/Cables+copy+xx.jpg Archive Project - Cabels A scene depicting the cables and hardware of the Manhattan Bridge, with One World Trade Center and the Lower Manhattan skyline visible in the background. I used three processes to create this image: soft-ground etching, line etching, and aquatint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791574340595-32NKA1IUPXL5T42OBAFB/Cabels+0+-.jpg Archive Project - Cables drawing This was the original concept for the print, with the World Trade Center towers in the background contrasted against the Manhattan Bridge cables in the foreground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281068999-OO0M3YADRI91UYJF7AI6/Cabels+1.jpg Archive Project - tracing paper study This drawing on tracing paper shows the new composition, with the cables of the Manhattan Bridge in the foreground and the new One World Trade Center tower rising above the Lower Manhattan skyline in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281084433-OSWD1CHKRKT4UIUOXNWY/Cabels+2.jpg Archive Project - Softground/ registration key The pencil marks were used to create the image through the soft-ground etching process. The copper plate beneath the drawing is coated with a waxy ground formulated to remain soft. As the pencil moves across the paper, the pressure pushes the paper into the ground, lifting some of the wax from the plate. These disturbed areas expose the copper to the acid, which etches the drawn lines into the plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281096451-5Y2IT4WPJXL3E9PGJN65/Cabels+3.jpg Archive Project - reverse side of the soft ground/ registration key paper This is the reverse side of the paper I used for the soft ground, you can see where the brown, waxy soft ground is absorbed into the fibers. The transferred ground on the paper looks subtle, but the next image reveals how the drawing etched. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281111422-1ZX868YK6AYE16IKYYPA/Cabels+4.jpg Archive Project - first proof of Cables The pressure applied with the pencil, along with the length of time the plate is exposed to the acid, determines how dark the image will print. Soft ground allows the artist to create an intaglio print with the direct, expressive quality of a drawing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281158367-TZQKYDGFL5ZABLFBG7WG/Cabels+6.jpg Archive Project - fourth Proofing of Cables The cables were created with line etching and I felt they were too heavy and dark. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281185929-K4J343FDEGSGEZMCNPDS/Cabels+8.jpg Archive Project - sixth proofing of the Cables It took a lot of work to scrape down the dark cabled in the sky but I decided I wanted to put tone in the sky so I could capture light hitting the cable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1755281220112-X9UX1QG1MHUE3V3KN441/Cabels+9.jpg Archive Project - ninth print of Cables Aquatint was added to the sky to create the effect of sunlight falling across the cables. In the original World Trade Center drawing, I was responding to the vertical boxes of the towers. In the new image, the composition draws attention to the triangular form of One World Trade Center and the triangular shapes found throughout the bridge structure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228495395-74WLAEPXO85LGTQH26UU/59th+Street+Bridge+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - 59th Street Bridge - first proof The print of the 59th Street Bridge at night is shown in the order in which it is developed, from dark to light. This is the first proof. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228507675-6SM9TQUB9TLKIF4LL66N/59th+Street+Bridge+3+.jpg Archive Project - 59th Street Bridge This is the second proof of the 59th Street Bridge at night . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228516038-B84IOF2A11VE1NFDAHM9/59th+Street+Bridge+3+copy.jpg Archive Project - 50th Street Bridge - third proof This is the final proof of the 59th Street Bridge at night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232222285-GYTN0BL9ID5TP3GQAJFG/Quarter+After+One+gravure+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - final proof A mysterious New Orleans evening scene on the 800 block of Chartres Street. The street is empty, but lights glow behind the closed doors, suggesting activity just out of view. This is the second of three gravure editions I have made. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790463758182-P3TK0R64M2OTLJ6NOXND/Quarter+After+One+gravure+soft2+copy+2.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - soft ground 1st proof This print began as a soft-ground etching, but I was very disappointed with the result and decided to start the image over using the direct gravure. The next few images show soft-ground proofs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790966951266-XQJO7X2PMCTEEWT76BP3/Quarter+After+One+pencil.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - soft ground pencil drawing The pencil marks were used to create the image through the soft-ground etching process. This is the same technique used in the making of the Cable print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232273326-XNU77B8YDXUWR46R23V5/Quarter+After+One+gravure+softdrawing+copy.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - soft transferred drawing This is the same sheet of paper as the previous image. This side was against the soft ground, creating the image by absorbing the waxy ground. The previous side was created by the pencil. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232252236-AJ6C4HQIPXOXZQ10ZY9L/Quarter+After+One+gravure+soft2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - This is a hand colored proof of the soft ground proof. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232201903-OBG01AWF22DN68E3VD56/Quarter+After+One+gravure+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - gravure plate proof After abandoning the soft-ground version, I reworked the composition and started the image again using a different technique: direct gravure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790964320032-Y5MK4PF404XMKQBBZHLJ/Quarter+After+One+color.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - gravure and second aquatint plate This proof was printed using two plates. The first is an aquatint plate, inked in multiple colors à la poupée and the second is the direct gravure plate, printed on top. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232234392-2D3VZR3ZB7FS3CV33HIY/Quarter+After+One+gravure+3+Chine+copy.jpg Archive Project - Quarter After One - chine collé The proof uses a more cream-colored Chine collé than the one I ultimately chose for the final edition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228622735-6I9YELE72IG5BJBC4O02/After+Hours+XX+copy.jpg Archive Project - After Hours - finished print This mezzotint captures a slice of Manhattan nightlife, depicting a man getting into a cab in Tribeca. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228544170-EXYKZVHRZ9QVDGS8M1U6/After+Hours+Aua+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - After Hours - aquatint plare I designed this aquatint plate to print in light cream color ink to simulate the appearance of a chine collé. This avoids using thin chine collé papers, which lack the tooth needed to hold the heavy ink of a mezzotint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228559666-6DAB55VWMJADLLSKDEXB/After+Hours+Aua+2+.jpg Archive Project - After Hours - second proof of aquatint plate I burnished on the plate to pull out highlights out of the aquatint ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228568445-9EKZ3YON2G2NLM9OIIJV/After+Hours+Aua+3+.jpg Archive Project - After Hours Further development of the highlights with my burnisher. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228580114-6WYMKBHLSKGMZPEASL7Z/After+Hours+sketch+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - After Hours - proof of mezzotint and aquatint plate After Hours proof with the mezzotint and aquatint plates. After experimenting with different ink colors and transparencies, I decided to scrape the aquatint plate because it did not add to the film-noir quality established by the mezzotint alone. In the end, I used only the mezzotint plate for the final print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790228598685-MKCSRA6ANDYHRR2WXJ7O/After+Hours+Trace+copy.jpg Archive Project - After Hours - tracing The tracing for After Hours is reversed because the finished print is a mirror image of what appears on the plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791135150340-IKDKCI91IVDDPRDND3SC/Eye+of+the+Storm+xx+copy.jpg Archive Project - Eye of the Storm - final print A scene of Hurricane Rita’s low cloud cover viewed from my Brooklyn rooftop. As the clouds rolled over the city, the skyscrapers of Manhattan pierced through the clouds, creating an amazing light show. There are three separate plates, each printed in two different colors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229492009-7P9FLQG22XP0P62XYW4Y/Eye+of+the+Storm+two+plates+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Eye of the Storm - first proof of first and second plate The first proofing of the first and second plate. Each plate is spite bite. aquatint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229505989-PH3MGJAHQ6ICWSKALUS3/Eye+of+the+Storm+two+plates+copy.jpg Archive Project - The eye of the Storm - second plate This is the second plate printed à la poupée using two colors: blue in the sky and olive green on the lower buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229464398-P0VRG5JW646S7Q7NOW7T/Eye+of+the+Storm+key+copy.jpg Archive Project - Eye of the Storm - mezzotint plate The first proofing of the mezzotint plate printed in just one color. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791135757525-KKTB9B18U944NKWI58VQ/Eye+of+the+Storm+four+colors+copy+2.jpg Archive Project - Eye of the Storm - first color proofing This print comes from the first proofing session and was printed with four different color mixtures inked in vertical bands. I rubbed a strip of blue ink across the sky with my finger to get a sense of how the mezzotint plate might print with the blue plate underneath. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229478607-ZJ488G4JOI45UF3WRXCK/Eye+of+the+Storm+two+colors+copy.jpg Archive Project - Eye of the Storm - color proof In the second color proofing, I divided the plate in half and inked each half with different colors so I could more efficiently figure out the best path forward with the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229452204-DSCD89YTGQTXZ5IVJU2B/Eye+of+the+Storm+1st+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Eye of the Storm - second proof This is from the second proofing and the first attempt at à la poupée inking on the key plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295844421-457O8OPLT3FV0T3JW9W7/Gateway+5+copy.jpg Archive Project - Gateway - finished print Mezzotint print of hurried cabs on Park Avenue heading into and out of the passageway beneath the Helmsley Building. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295825126-5Q5WIZESOFYEY5C9E74F/Gateway+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Gateway - first proof The first proof of Gateway is somewhat dark overall, with the far-left side of the building less fully developed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295881419-E48SY8892PGWWNZERI09/Gateway+draw+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Gateway - first sketch A sketch on tracing paper blocking out the image. I worked out ideas on tracing paper because I can flip it over and see the image in reverse, which is the orientation needed for the plate to print correctly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295902925-T6L1JV167A927JVBSLET/Gateway+draw+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Gateway - second sketch In this sketch, I further developed the composition and perspective, trying to capture the amusement park feeling I had when I first went through the tunnel in a cab. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229844004-SI8072J1XDKZ1LDLXNWZ/Fire+Dance+XX.jpg Archive Project - Fire Dance - final print Mardi Gras prints featuring flambeaux illuminating the parade with open flames. These are old-fashioned flambeaux with cans of kerosene on top of the poles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229577106-FK82G929YT53KB2I0APB/Fire+Dance+Orange+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Fire Dance - first proof of orange plate First proof of the Fire Dance orange plate. Transfer lines are visible in the proof of the men carrying flambeaux. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229537445-32VALJ70Y2DUGJPX3XR6/Fire+Dance+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Fire Dance - first proof First proof of Fire Dance. The orange coloring is rather pale in this first proof and does not capture the feeling of the fire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229550390-98P1AU3NGY0TJC89KC2K/Fire+Dance+3+copy.jpg Archive Project - Fire Dance - second proof The orange coloring is stronger in this proof of Fire Dance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229592622-0BWL27XUTRQ1I4QSHTEN/Fire+Dance+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Fire Dance - third proof of orange plate Third proof of the Fire Dance orange plate. Before this proof, I used a drypoint needle to pierce the plate and raise high burrs to better capture the feeling of flames. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229561816-HKI5J8Y26L3MF4Y5G390/Fire+Dance+4+copy.jpg Archive Project - Fire Dance - third proof This proof was getting closer to catching the strength of the fire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229909766-VGQJEQZ9YH60YHCT9UBK/Jewel+Box+7+copy.jpg Archive Project - Jewel Box - finished print The interior view of the lobby of the Arcade Building in Cleveland. The building is known for its grand five-story arcade with a glass skylight, but I was captivated by the figures entering and leaving the entrance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229926343-88RR5PAWFX4WX7TERGTR/Jewel+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Jewel Box - orange and yellow plate proof This is a proof of the first two color plates for Jewel Box. There is an apricot plate and a deep orange plate in this proof. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790229866717-5EUDI93HVQ5BSTUXF562/Jewel+1st+copy.jpg Archive Project - Jewel Box - first proof When making a color print, you make an estimate of how the plates will print together. I am usually not very happy with my first proofs, but once you make that first impression, you have information to make further adjustments to the plates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790230874628-UZAS6F0USCUAY2RWNIJJ/Jewel+tracing+copy.jpg Archive Project - Jewel Box - line drawing A drawing to work out the composition of the print, Jewel Box. Set among the square geometry of the architecture are four people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790230860959-0A6VJPUIR4D4HRHAULOO/Jewel+registration+copy.jpg Archive Project - Jewel Box - transfer Mylar This is the Mylar transfer drawing showing the final placement of the four figures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231582652-5UK1JVI5W3N1FZS2T9JS/Still+Night+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Still Night -first proof This is the dark-to-light viewing of this Brooklyn brownstone print. The spooky, gnarled tree branches set the mood for this dark winter night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231608185-2O05FDDBA12PBQIVUZOC/Still+Night+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Still Night - second proof This is the second proof of Still Night. The snow in the foreground is much brighter, and the garden gate in the center now has the lights on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231630086-TE27BOWYQH4MCPYG7JAI/Still+Night+Sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - Still Night -sketch Color pencil on brown craft paper, a preliminary sketch to block out the scene. When I first start a piece, I just scribble out details and then refine the image in each drawing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231701338-5NC23PGJGU88CLWSSX8J/Three+Bridges+4+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - final print This view of the East River at twilight features its three famous bridges: the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges. This is a two-plate print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231665480-K4TNK6H9A26GS6EPSAF5/Three+Bridges+1st+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - first proofing of both plates The first proof of both plates. This view was from the top floor of One Chase Manhattan Plaza. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231718682-CWAOLVBEPLCSMOLSTZ6U/Three+Bridges+orange+2+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - orange plate proof I This is from the first proofing of the orange plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231738989-R1KCM3XNGXLXAL0ZDV2C/Three+Bridges+orange+3+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - orange plate proof II This second proof of the orange plate. Aquatint tone has been added to the sky and the river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231757321-46WDRQ9H1A4DTI6C0Z44/Three+Bridges+orange+5+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - orange plate proof III The third orange proof. I start working out an à la poupée. plan to get a better range of color, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791176081876-XEGMZ82Q5AJCHT1B8XJP/Three+Bridges+alla+poupee.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - orange á la poupée orange proof This is a proof of the final á la poupée inking for Three Bridges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791176081891-48JI2O99U6IL9J7GWBEP/Three+bridges+notes.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - orange printing notes This proof includes detailed notes mapping the colors and their mixtures, along with instructions on press pressure, blankets, and even which side to begin rolling from to achieve the best plate registration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231648664-TR8EETUAEF6ZWZR15CL7/Three+Bridges++Blue+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - mezzotint plate This is the mezzotint plate for the birds eye view of the East River scene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231680869-076QCFUC39VZ90X7OC4A/Three+Bridges+2+proof+copy.jpg Archive Project - Three Bridges - second proofing of both plates This is the second proof in the evolution of this print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231472178-KN6YZ7T28D9ZR5OHBFGF/Grand+Central+intag+11+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - prequel I This my first attempt at this subject of the Grand Central sculptural group. I tried several intaglio techniques. Eventually this attempt would be abandoned and I would start again with a different composition and this time in mezzotint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231445029-1TPDF5YPL68HCVSBP5RR/Grand+Central+intag+9+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - prequel III I am a tonal artist and did not like the line work I done so I scraped and burnished away much of the etched marks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231457748-EAWT962FWTR0ANXZVBX2/Grand+Central+intag+10+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - prequel IV I started with a new plate, textured it with a roulette, and began pulling out the tones of the figures. In the sky, you can see the roulette marks left from texturing the plate. This proof uses two plates: the new mezzotint plate printed in sanguine and the remaining marks from the first plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231487937-YCDZINPCP4MRCLR706PY/Grand+Central+intag+12+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - prequel V More details are brought out in the dark plate and printed with the reworked second plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231518883-G2ERU6A7FGFLTP8FWZQK/Grand+Central+intag+17+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - prequel VI This proof shows only the new mezzotint plate, printed in black. The tones have been further developed with the burnisher. At this point, I had learned a lot about intaglio techniques, but I realized that mezzotint was my preferred method. I decided to stop working on this version, get a new plate, and start fresh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231373347-5OQIGJEEWE1Z0112KBHG/Grand+Central+Both+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - finished print This is the revised version of the sculptural group of Hermes, flanked by Hercules and Minerva, above the main entrance to Grand Central Terminal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231535429-M1FHQPU8LFF8Z82GY566/Grand+Central+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - orange plate This is a two-plate print, with both plates made using mezzotint process. This plate is printed first in vermilion ink. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231354667-QT0K6QLNVZ436FUBMOE2/Grand+Central+Blue+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central This is the key plate, printed last in blue ink. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231425602-WI2P1UOSNYT9241FJ067/Grand+Central+color+3+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - color proof I The Grand Central print was my eighth color print, and it taught me a lot about how colors interact when they are printed together. I spent a day experimenting with the two plates, trying as many color combinations as I could. Some worked while others clashed or became almost garish, but I learned something from every combination I tried. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791142802794-4JT4MLZ7KR2880AFUEK3/Grand+Central+color+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central - color proof III The colors are printed wet on wet so color blend on the press. The last color printed dominates the one below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790231408026-2IFORF2Y4MC3EZPH3922/Grand+Central+color+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Grand Central -color proof III This proof of Grand Central is close to the finished variation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791485349185-3AVHU8EORSUOG4QC523C/High+Finance+copyXX.jpg Archive Project - High Finance - finished print The New York Stock Exchange is the focus this two plate print. The final print has a small amount of green hand coloring on the subway station lights and the NYSE flag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790295651288-S5V1XBIXADI32MF32LZG/High+Financeorange+copy.jpg Archive Project - High Finance - finished print This is the orange plate for High Finance. Working subtractively, I burnished highlights into the fluted columns and their capitals. I also lightened the sidewalk and the base of the Exchange. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232392922-Q9OM7F92Y2L6WKFRHQL7/High+Finance+key+copy.jpg Archive Project - High Finance - mezzotint plate This is the mezzotint plate for High Finance. I was especially drawn to the sculptural group on top, particularly the figures leaning over the edge and looking down toward the street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232441143-2FUBJEDNIM2XDPBGH23C/High+Finance+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project - High Finance - pencil sketch Pencil sketch for High Finance, focusing on the canyon-like quality of the Wall Street area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791180029027-14VGPXEOMDCMGO9HXOC1/High+Financeorange+copy+3.jpg Archive Project - High Finance - copper plate This is the copper mezzotint plate with black ink. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232600662-PKLASUOIFT5TVE5S2FI1/View+From+My+Window+finished+copy.jpg Archive Project - View from my Window - final print This three-color print of a flowering cherry tree was made during my second year as a printmaker, when I was beginning to explore color printmaking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232628722-44XSQKYUJE6E5HO9HXF5/View+From+My+Window+red+green+copy.jpg Archive Project - View from my Window - first and second plate. This proof shows the first two plates: the red plate is a rocked mezzotint, while the green plate is made with roulette. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232618127-KOA7HYNLZEZTY91JJOBE/View+From+My+Window+key+copy.jpg Archive Project - View from my Window - mezzotint plate This key plate is made using the mezzotint technique and printed with a blue black ink. Much of the cherry tree will be defined by the previous red plate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232656088-2M79Y1TIFR8L9FYM49LA/View+From+My+Window+watercolor+copy.jpg Archive Project - View from my Window - sketch and watercolor Watercolor and pencil sketch of the view from my first apartment in Brooklyn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232642410-UFUGV245ODIG0E6N3VSM/View+From+My+Window+Transfer+copy.jpg Archive Project - View from my Window - transfer drawing Registration transfer tracing used to align the three plates of View from My Window so each color prints in the correct position. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791237514491-CF5ZF3XQLSEF5LL22A0C/ascension+XX+copy.jpg Archive Project - Ascension - final print St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church is at the center of this two-plate print, with horizontal rows of cabs in the foreground contrasted against the vertical rise of skyscrapers behind it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791237511718-ORYKWHQTTER7OUM4LFHY/ascension+first+copy.jpg Archive Project - Ascension - first proof First proof of Ascension. The key plate is close to what I wanted, but the orange plate needs more strength. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791237514237-4HLH0XPAHU50P11TRUH6/ascension+orange+copy.jpg Archive Project - Ascension - final printorange plate This first orange plate is worked in a subtractive mezzotint manner, the details of the two flag will be defining information for the final print. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791237511726-IUGS94CW1N704VOT4IO0/ascension++blue+blackcopy.jpg Archive Project - Ascension - Key mezzotint plate This mezzotint plate for Ascension holds most the details except for the two flags. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791237513293-Z7YFQCS8WFN7IARDV4HN/ascension+notes+copy.jpg Archive Project - Ascension - notes proof This proof of Ascension includes notes marking the areas that will be hand-colored after printing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232665402-ELK0VNJ3FNMK44GJPOSH/Village+Cigar+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Village Cigars - first proof The next three proofs show the progression from dark to light. The subject is the two billboards above a cigar shop on this triangular property. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232677787-R18V1QYHR4LB3BIZM0XL/Village+Cigar+2+copy.jpg Archive Project - Village Cigars - second proof The Village Cigar was made during my first two years of working in mezzotint, when I was still developing my approach to the technique. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1791182599352-08WSBHWXWQ44RH7CU92U/Village+Cigar+xx.jpg Archive Project The top billboard advertises a long-running Off-Broadway show, while the lower one promotes a local restaurant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232691765-Z5DEASOLOGX3K4IV16TK/Village+Cigar+sketch+1+copy.jpg Archive Project - Village Cigars - sketch I Sketch of the double billboard above the Village Cigars store, drawn from the window of my gym. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/1790232701801-BRJB79438L83NVGWA3HY/Village+Cigar+sketch+2+notes+copy.jpg Archive Project - Village Cigars - sketch II I noted the billboard text and lighting conditions on the sketch to help me capture the scene as I saw it. https://www.frederickmershimer.com/new-page-2 daily 0.75 2022-04-27 https://www.frederickmershimer.com/about daily 0.75 2022-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/60c33a97-f8be-4e6c-9889-1ceb9b5f8a61/burnishing.jpg About - Make it stand out Burnishing an image on the mezzotint plate for the print, Metropolitan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/2c4eac66-04d8-43d3-90f8-e40dc5815907/tools5.jpg About These three tools are all you need to make a mezzotint. From left to right: rocker, scraper and burnisher. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/52af9324-b14f-47af-89bd-f7ecf3d554d8/rocker+teeth.jpg About Above is a 65 gauge rockers serrated edge. Gauge refers to the number of teeth per inch. https://www.frederickmershimer.com/new-page-70 daily 0.75 2025-08-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/32a18628-3195-4345-a6c9-04e3c7987244/Empire+State+sketch+copy.jpg Archive Project https://www.frederickmershimer.com/contact-wells daily 0.75 2026-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62639695442fa06857bf2954/e3e8f897-3e01-4263-8a3a-5b0eb67d8308/pylons+.jpg Contact Pylons, 8 3/4 x 11 5/8”