Robert Van de Peer
TONGUE SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE - BURNING (2007)
Thank you to volunteer-based
CHCT-TV, one of seven independent community television stations licensed in Canada to broadcast public access programming,
WHITSTABLE STORM (2005)
ARAB DHOW - RED SEA STORM (2008) Non-toxic Printmaking As a Master Printmaker I call the traditional toxic techniques for etching intaglio plates the “devil’s triangle”. The three points that comprise this triangle are one, nitric acid; two, toxic acid resists – such as asphaltum; and three, volatile solvents. All of which are hazardous to our health and working environment. Asphaltum in particular is a suspect carcinogen and widely used in printmaking in both colleges and universities and by printmakers in their own studios. So what is the alternative? Simple: replace the above with non-toxic materials and substances. Nitric acid is easily replaced by ferric chloride which is one of the most important first steps. Ferric is not absorbed through the skin and as its primary role in chemistry is to search out electrons of iron, it has no harmful effects on things organic, such as us. The acid resist, asphaltum can be replaced by future floor wax combined with India ink. This blend can be applied to a plate as hard ground or applied by airbrush for aquatint techniques. Other additional non-toxic substances that work well on a plate are china marker, oil pastel and crayola crayons. The above substances are easily removed from a plate using hot water and comet cleaner. This means that volatile solvents are now out of the picture. For removal and clean-up of oil based inks, cooking oil followed by biodegradable detergent is all that is required. We now have a more angelic triangle to play and create with, but there is more which can be found in my future book “Adventures in Printmaking, a Mariner’s Voyage Towards Non-toxic Intaglio Techniques.”
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Robert Van de Peer, a Master Printmaker trained in England, has over thirty years experience in printmaking and is a superb teacher in this art form. Robert was Professor - Printmaking at St. Lawrence College of Applied Arts and Technology, Kingston, Ontario from 1970 to 1995. He has guest lectured at the Nova Scotia College of Applied Arts and Design, Halifax, Nova Scotia; the Vermont College of Norwich University; and St. Michael's Print Shop in St. Johns, Newfoundland. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Printmaking at the Medway College of Art, Rochester, England and his MFA - Painting and Lithography from the Royal Academy of Arts, London, England. He has been Master Printer in Residence at Sunbury Shores since 1998. Robert currently teaches high school students throughout the school year, as part of the Sunbury CLASS Program.
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