Joe McVetty Sugarlift Etchings

Sugarlift etchings are made by doing a painting on a copper plate with a tempera/sugar mixture. Next, the plate is covered with a ground, and when dry, placed in a tray of boiling water, causing the areas that were painted with the tempera/sugar mixture to lift off the plate. These open areas now have to be aquatinted (a light coat of spray paint) before the plate is etched (submerged into the acid bath). The acid eats around the tiny dots of spraypaint in these areas, creating a wonderful texture. The plate is now ready to be inked and put through the press. Different colors can be applied to the plate in a variety of ways each time it is inked, creating a series of unique artist prints. (UAP) Or, an edition of identical prints can be produced by using the same inking and wiping techniques with each print.

The first five prints posted here I call my Big Joe Head series. This plate was huge - I spent hours inking and wiping. The prints are 36" x 50", all are UAP's, and all are For Sale.

The last two prints posted here are from a series called Joe's Story. They are 22" x 30", UAP's, and are also For Sale.