John Kelly demonstrates the centuries-old art form of etching at his studio in Mount Street, Dublin.
One of the oldest processes used in printmaking, etching is a technique whereby text or a drawing is first etched into a metal plate coated with wax and immersed in acid.
This art form dates from the early sixteenth century and techniques have not changed since then. As artist John Kelly explains,
The etching techniques that I am using would be the same used by Rembrandt or any artist from then onwards.
The plate is then inked up to make a print, but this is not the finished work, as the artist can go on to make additions or improvements as they see fit.
Traditionally fifty prints are made from one plate, and the process can take up to a month or longer. It is a unique medium and John Kelly believes the end result is worth it.
An extraordinary quality that you wouldn’t get from making the image any other way on paper.
This episode of 'Studio 2’ was broadcast on 13 July 1983. The reporter is Pat Kenny.
'Studio 2' was a summer arts and music series broadcast in 1978 produced by Michael O'Connell and Agnes Cogan. Presented by Pat Kenny it ran for one season and is described in the RTÉ Guide of 7 July 1978 as a series covering
"The music makers and others involved in the artistic side of life."
