JANE MECHNER @janemechner - Tumblr Blog

New fall/ winter sketchbook. Best one i’ve made yet!! Swapped the 250 gsm paper for 200 gsm, excited to see if it holds ink the same. The paper is so much lighter i’ll be shocked if it’s as durable. Used calico on the covers- i find that fabric holds up so much better than paper or vinyl but still gets kind of a loving wear on it.

#tech #bookbinding

Etching Process 09/09/25

Now that I don't have access to a studio anymore I thought i'd document some of my at home process. My last plate of these girls shooting ducks at a carnival was raggedy to say the least. 11pm i drew it and transferred it on to the plate while sitting on my bed, and then took it into the kitchen and poured some ferric chloride intro a glass tupper ware and let it sit for an hour. At 1am I took it out which revealed an insane amount of corrosion- I think because I put the plate in upside down. I was pretty excited to see it but printing it was frustrating.

Plate and first print

I took it to artichoke print where I can print for about 80 pounds a day. The lines are beautiful and deep but this means that the ink can easily be wiped out leaving a white ghost of the drawing. I did an aquatint on it as well- 3 tones and white. None of the white is as shiny and perfect as the paper though. I also tried to make the stuffed toys drawn with aquatint but they get lost in the corrosion. Marigold suggested trying a more suitable tackier copper ink but I think I may just re etch the plate on a clean piece of copper. Here's the second drawing- it's meant to portray a normalisation of gun usage and commonplace violence since childhood in the west.

With Aquatint and new drawing

#insane that charlie kirk was shot the day after I drew this too #which im almost thinking like is it insensitive to release this as a print #well see if i can even manage to get it to print well anyway #does anyone know any orgs to help victims of gun violence?#etching #tech

wip with some orange nails

#dessins #dessin #my art #art #painting

loved the light on her wings

#paintings #painting #my art #plein air

warm shadows and terracotta roofs. spent the summer at home.

#plein air #painting #montpellier #my art #paintings

still feel like i’m trying to bridge the gap between drawing and painting in my work. line is such a big part of how i see the world it feels really jarring to integrate form, but that’s also the type of painting i’m most drawn to. but i feel happy with this wip so far i think i might be getting somewhere

#dessins #dessin #drawing #my art #art #painting

An etching I did of my friend Isla. Somehow the plate looks nicer than the print !

#dessins #dessin #drawing #my art #etching #drypoint #print

Last assignment of this painting course i’ve been taking is a still life. I’ve never in my lifeeeeeeee found a painting so boring. Tried a few different objects to practice shine and new textures, a narrative with coffee and paint water, and now a more ‘alive’ flowers (they are unfortunately actually dying) I had in my flat.

I’m not sure why it’s so hard to focus on. As someone who almost exclusively works from life i’m very surprised at how excruciating this feels to paint. My dad says when something is difficult you have to push on it like a pressure point.

Figured i’d try and track some progress on it on here maybe someone else relates

#still life #painting #my art