James Ehlers print engraving demonstration in New Orleans

[Sam]

James Ehlers of Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas was in New Orleans for a few days and I was invited to attend his print engraving demonstration at Mystic Blue Signs on Magazine Street. Eve Rutlege, owner of Mystic Blue, is a fine hand engraver and lettering arts instructor, not to mention old school sign painter, so her interesting shop was the perfect place to host this event.

James started by showing us his personal collection of engraved prints, then took us through graver prep, engraving on plates, and finally the printing process. It was fascinating to watch! He has more demos to conduct at Tulane and Loyola universities while he's here in New Orleans. Go James! It's great to see you spreading the word on this fascinating art form :clapping:


Mystic Blue shop...what a cool place!


Eve Rutledge manning the press.


Fresh off the press.


Inked plate.


Wiping off after inking.








James arches his left hand for protection in the event of a slip.


Practicing correct graver grip.


Thumbnail test for graver sharpness.




Nancy Sharon Collins engraving a copper plate.

 

[JJ Roberts]

Sam,Thanks for sharing the print demonstration by Jim Ehlers,he's a very talented artist,I would like to know about the table top etching press and where Jim got it and how much? Looks like a Blick etching press. J.J.

 

[James_Ehlers]

Thanks for coming by and taking some pics, Sam. Was nice seeing a familiar face walk through the door. When you come to Emporia again to teach, I can pull a print off one of your plates if you like (we'll need to bevel it first). The great thing about the small prints is that you can scan them at really high resolutions and get very clear digital reproductions.

J.J. - The press belongs to Yvette at Mystic Blue. I'm not sure where she purchased it. While the press appeared to work ok, I would recommend a press with a larger cylinder on the top and below the press bed...as well as a thicker press bed. A table top press would also need to be mounted to something heavy so it doesn't move when cranking the plate through. Engravings need a ton a pressure to print properly.

 

[Sam]

James: I'll be in Emporia next month and I'd like to take you up on your offer What effect will a stippled or relieved and stippled background have on the printing process? Will a plate with just line engraving and no relieving or background treatments be best?

 

[DKanger]

He has more demos to conduct at Tulane

Bummer, I wish some lead time had been given on this event. I would have driven down to attend and stayed with my son. Both he and his wife are Tulane alumni. I love that school almost as much as he does.

 

[James_Ehlers]

Sam - If you have a plate with some relief work we can give it a try. If the relief work isn't too low then I would think it would print fine. The stippling actually prints really well and simulates an acid etching technique called "aquatint". Shoot me an message the week before you head out and I'll figure out a time that can work for both of us.

DKanger - The workshop is actually for a printmaking class at Tulane, so I'm not sure if it would be closed off or not.

 

[Sam]

Will do. Thanks James!

 

[rod]

James and Sam,

This nice photo story is an eye opener for me, not that I didn't know that James was a man of artistic talent!

Good to see some of the process.

Rod

 

[mystic blue]

Sam--Thanks for posting your photos of our shop, and James--thanks again for helping us understand the honing, inking and printing angle of engraving.
The tabletop intaglio press is a Richeson baby press that my husband (and partner at Mystic Blue Signs) Vince Mitchell bought for Christmas. James felt it was a little light for printing engraving, though we thought the prints he pulled were very impressive. We will try it on a few things we have engraved and post the results.
Eve (Yvette) Rutledge