Welcome to the web site of
Michael Atkin
Michael is an artist-printmaker who creates limited edition etchings, lino prints and fine art books and recently turning his hand to wood engraving.
Images are figurative, narrative and located in the Yorkshire countryside.
Images evolve from brief
outline sketches made in sketchbooks. The desired composition is
then either etched
with nitric acid,
onto copper plates, or cut into lino, which are then printed onto
fine hand-made papers
by hand
using antique printing presses dating from the 19th
century.
See presses
Title:- Home
Image size: 90 x 140 mm
Each year Michael opens his workshop & drawing studio for visitors to see how the prints he produces are created. Using traditional methods dating from the 15th century, using mordents and gouges, copper and zinc plate, Michael is a traditionalist who loves the skill and craftmanship associated with his artwork. Open Studios
Antique presses from the 19th century form the backbone of his workshop; weighing in at just under 5 tons in total, the presses an Albion Press, made in Leeds, an Etching Press & Arab Press) are used daily.
With the rapid expansion of computer generated images, such as "giclée" prints are where the image is scanned onto a computer. Michael is however convinced that etchings which are hand made and hand printed using traditional methods have a bright and prosperous future with discerning collectors.
Derived from the French, "giclée" means "sprayed" (or splat) it is a digital technology involving inks that are finely jet sprayed onto papers, ( a better version of your own home inkjet printer).
Occasionally Michael runs workshops to teach people the art of etching and block-printing. For printmaking courses see here.
The dates for this year's OPEN STUDIOS will be:-
- June 9th, 10th, 16th & 17th between the hours of 10.00 - 5.00 p.m. daily. No appointment necessary. See Open Studios for full details