Ever since seeing the spectacular illustrations for Milton’s Paradise Lost, I have been enthralled by this 17th-century intaglio printmaking technique.

It involves a laborious process (10 hour+) of preparing the copper plate by creating thousands of ink-holding burrs across the surface using a tool called a rocker (pictured below). Then carefully scraping the design onto the plate. This is not a process for the impatient. 

I had the pleasure of learning from Stuart Duffin whilst spending some months living in Glasgow. Unlike most intaglio, mezzotint allows for beautiful tonal range. First print pictured left, more ambitious designs coming soon…