Blog

When we’re working with printmaking materials, it doesn’t take long to notice how some supplies can change over time, even when they sit unopened on the shelf. Etching grounds are one of those materials. If it’s been a while since your last plate, chances are you’ve opened a container to find things looking a bit off. A change in consistency might not be obvious at first, but it can affect how etching tools behave and what...

When winter hits, it’s not just our hands that feel the chill. In colder studios or early morning sheds, we start to notice our art materials behaving differently. This is especially true for fluid media like inks. Many artists rely on smooth, consistent flow from their inks for drawing, but cold air can make them act sluggish or unpredictable. Instead of crisp lines, you might find them breaking halfway through or feathering out in strange...

Autumn in Central Victoria always brings that subtle shift in the air. Mornings get cooler, afternoons flatten out, and there’s a visible softening in the light. What’s easy to miss, especially in the studio, is just how much the air starts to hold. Our materials don’t always announce when things feel a bit too damp to behave the way we expect. For anyone working with moulds, whether in silicone, plaster, or rubber, that increas...