By Chelsea Reed
Ahoy, mateys! We’re going to share some intriguing facts about etchings with maritime themes. These scalawags may be easy to overlook in the art world, but they actually have surprising tales to tell. Let’s take a look and learn about these fascinating maritime etching facts.
When artists create etchings, the first step they do is create the image in the metal plate. This is done by covering a metal plate with wax and then carefully drawing the image they want into the wax with a tool. The lines in the wax expose the metal to the acid when the plate is submerged in an acid bath. The acid “bites” into the metal over time and creates the lines that hold in the ink for the press.
Because of this process, etching artists get just one chance to make sure the plate comes out the way they want. This means they need to think carefully when it comes to drawing the flow of water in nautical scenes!
While technically not etching, scrimshaw was a old maritime relative to etching that involved carving images directly into whalebone. Sailors on whaling ships spent their spare time carving beautiful scrimshaw scenes in the 18th and 19th centuries. Whaling is illegal today but collectors can still own scrimshaw art under certain legal conditions. Check the laws in your area.
As New World trade and settlements boomed in the 18th century, many people dreamed of venturing the high seas. The demand for maritime art spiked, and nautical etchings became popular for its practicality to the common folk as an affordable means to own original art.
The invention of printed books in the 16th century gave rise to a strong desire for learning by the masses. By the Age of Enlightenment, etchings were common illustrations in books. Their highly detailed images were perfect for depicting the intricate details of various marine life and the people who make the waters their home.
Believe it or not, etchings became so common by the 19th century that it was almost forgotten in plain sight. People in the Industrial Revolution mistook etchings for mass produced machine images and not art at all, until…
Art advocates in the mid 19th century emphasized that etchings were indeed a valid art genre, as etchings require great skill from the artist to produce by hand with each print. Thus, an etching revival was born, and art collectors sought after the works of renowned etching artists once again.
Thanks to art enthusiasts everywhere, etchings of various topics including nautical themes are thriving today. Seaside Art Gallery has an extensive collection of beautiful etchings from renowned artists, including David Hunter, who sometimes does live demonstrations at the Gallery. Missed a demonstration? No worries, you can still see his artwork anytime online.
Chelsea Reed is a copywriter who writes winning content, articles, blogs, and websites from her base in North Carolina. She might not be building sandcastles or swashbuckling with pirates these days, but the Outer Banks beaches continue to keep her young at heart.
