Still-life

Alvin O'Sullivan, artist

Still-life, 1996

Portfolio/Series title: X-Change Portfolio

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: mezzotint; wove paper

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 56 x 114 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 307 x 255 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 2 3/16 x 4 1/2 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 12 1/16 x 10 1/16 in

Credit line: Gift of the KU Art Department, Intaglio Area

Accession number: 1996.0183.21

Not on display

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Brosseau Center for Learning: Six Degrees of Separation: Prints from KU and Beyond

O’Sullivan’s small still-life print was created using mezzotint, a technique historically favored for the printed recreation of paintings. The process is ideally suited for this purpose because it allows for subtle tonal differences without relying on cross-hatching or stipple techniques. In addition to making prints, O’Sullivan has also worked as an archival papermaker and is currently a lecturer in the Department of Game Design at Uppsala University in Sweden. This work was included in the X-Change Portfolio initiated by KU Professor of Visual Art Michael J. Krueger.

Brosseau Center for Learning: Six Degrees of Separation: Prints from KU and Beyond

Alvin O’Sullivan’s small still-life print was created using mezzotint, a technique historically favored for the printed recreation of paintings. The process is ideally suited for this purpose because it allows for subtle tonal differences without relying on cross-hatching or stipple techniques. In addition to making prints, O’Sullivan has also worked as an archival papermaker, as a production artist and director, and is currently a lecturer in the Department of Game Design at Uppsala University in Sweden. This work was included in the X-Change Portfolio initiated by KU Professor of Visual Art Michael J. Krueger.

Mezzotint prints are produced by using a specific tool called a “rocker.” This tool creates an even texture, or “burr,” on the surface of a copperplate. The burr will catch and hold ink, which results in the rich, velvety black tones characteristic of a mezzotint print. A knife-like triangular blade, or “scraper,” and a blunt, rounded burnisher are then used to smooth away sections of the burr to create areas of varied tonalities, depending on how much ink can be held by the remaining burr. After the plate has been inked, it is run through an intaglio press to create an impression. Because the “rocked” surface of the plate deteriorates quickly, relatively few excellent impressions can be produced.

Tap on the web icon to read more about the mezzotint technique.