CHANTAL ELISABETH ARIËNS – ABOUT THE PRINTING TECHNIQUE "PHOTOPOLYMER ETCHING" from Galerie Bildhalle on Vimeo.
"I felt a strong need to create something tangible with my own hands, into which I could pour my soul. So, I set out to find a craft and technique that would fulfill this desire: the photopolymer etching technique. I first transfer my image onto a solar plate, which creates a new negative. This new negative allows me to print in a traditional way. I love the texture, the smell, the countless shades of blacks, and the handcrafted process.
The dedication this handmade process requires of me results in the velvety atmosphere of my work. This technic gives me the opportunity to give my images the poetic and dreamlike atmosphere i’m looking for. I love the tactility, the structure, the scent and countless shades of black. The work itself is very intense and slow; it brings me to a more quiet part of myself and makes me more aware of how gratifying craftsmanship can be. Although my images are printed in small editions, all prints are handmade and therefore unique.”
Chantal Elisabeth Ariëns
Photopolymer Etching is an intaglio printmaking technic in which you use UV light to burn an image printed on transparency film into a light sensitive emulsion or coating that is attached to a metal plate. After the plate has been washed, dried and hardened it is possible to print the image in a traditional way (like Rembrandt did).
