FAQ
What does ‘foulbitten’ mean?
Foulbite (n): A mark or blemish on the plate caused by the etchant getting under the ground, or resist.
Foulbitten (adj): An artistic affliction caused by a predilection for the entire overly fiddly process of etching copper or brass.
Do you do custom work?
If the subject matter interests me and the price is right, I can be persuaded. Email me and let’s talk.
Where do you get your materials?
I get my copper from the scrap bin at Industrial Metal Supply in Los Angeles, CA. If you’ve ever wondered why I don’t have standard sized plates, it’s because I take what they have on offer on the day I visit. I get my electronics from Harbor Freight, and various junk stores all over Southern California.
Isn’t there an easier way to do this?
Of course there is. But there’s something about making things with your hands that adds new dimensions to the work. You could absolutely replicate these images with a laser cutter, but that wouldn’t allow for us to see the individual paths carved by the flow of electricity. It wouldn’t allow for the patina to develop in new and interesting based on how the metal was prepared. There is a magic in the process that a machine can never replace.