Letter 11100

Graphic hard ground for etching  

I etch figures drawn in graphic hard ground wax in stainless steal with Edinburg solution (ferriclorid + citric acid) with the knive as anode (+12 V). The problem is that the wax can not resist the echting satisfactorily, as small pictures are etched out of control. I want a hard ground which can resist the etching but is fine for drawing the fine lines of the figure.

Lars Tougaard
Tougaard knives - Faaborg, Denmark

Try Lascaux Hard resist which is a paint-on acrylic resist which replaces the role of solvent-based hard ground. It is very mordant resistant and works well on copper, zinc and steel. Use a very soft square-ended flat brush to apply the resist and dry the plate flat. It is waxy so is east to draw into. Remove the resist with Evans Vanodine Mystrol cleaner which is also safe to use in comparison to solvents.

Carol Robertson
- Scotland, UK

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