Drypoint commemorative stamp

Our second assignment was to design a commemorative stamp, 2"x3", and scratch it onto a small zinc plate using the drypoint technique. I pondered designs for Sugar Pie Desanto and Etta James, Mia Zapata, even Fred Astair. In the end though, I ended up with a sketchbook page full of Tank Girl fanart... Thus, I give you a commemorative stamp of tank girl (though I don't think the USPS will accept it...).

Wherein I complain about engraving Additional comments behind the jump

Drypoint involves scratching directly onto a metal plate. Cross hatching and other textural additions are used to describe dark space, allowing for a great deal of gradation.

I'd like to go back over this and strengthen the lines a bit- the contrast is not really what I would like. I managed to get pretty good quality lines on the text by using an engraver, which is basically a small sharp tool carefully designed to lodge itself under your fingernail.

I had a good time with this, but I don't really think I played at the strengths of the medium. Drypoint is excellent for gradation and textural subtleties, and I tried to keep it too clean-cut. Luckily, I get a chance to toy with the technique more!

Next up, a study on Giorgio Morandi and his lovely cross-hatching methods.