Links to Etchings

San Francisco Chinatown

Early
San Francisco Etchings

San Francisco Hills

San Francisco Wharves

Oakland, Alameda, and East Bay, California

California Mountains

London

France

Bread and Butter Farm Scenes

Christmas Etchings

Other Etchings

John W. Winkler Signature Initial

John W. Winkler 's

ETCHING TECHNIQUE

An etching is made by coating a copper surface with an acid resisting substance or ground. The artist scratches on the plate with an etching needle exposing the copper.

The plate is etched with acid which eats into the copper to expose the image lines. Winkler used blotters to move the acid around to create dark or delicate lines. The ground is removed and the plate finished.

Special French ink is applied with an “elephant’s foot.” Most of the excess ink is carefully removed with a gauzy cloth. One of the most difficult procedures is the wipe. Winkler must wipe all the ink off the surface without disturbing any of his spidery lines. This is done for each print so each print is an original. The print paper must be damp but not wet. Winkler used to wet the paper and put it between blotters several times to get a damp but not wet condition.

Then the paper is placed over the inked copper plate and run through a very strong press leaving an indented plate mark. The blotter process is then repeated to assure proper drying,

An edition is the number of prints done from the same plate. Winkler had small editions of mostly 20 – 50 prints as he was anxious to go on to the next plate.

He preferred to print his own work using different papers to get different effects. Many of the papers came from old folios from the period 1750 to 1850. Other fine French papers were also used. All prints were printed and signed during Mr. Winkler’s lifetime.

John W. Winkler Operating Press

Original Tools Used to Create Etchings

Winkler Working With His Chemicals for Etching.

In 1970 John W. Winkler Operating His Press