Q

Fitzpatrick’s non-traditional alphabet book was created in collaboration with his children Max and Gaby, who suggested items for each of the pages.

Four-color etchings are created by using a stylus to draw through a layer of wax applied to a copper plate. The plate is then dipped into an acid bath, causing the exposed parts of the plate to be eaten away by acid. After the drawing is etched into the plate by acid, the wax is removed and the plate is inked for printing. The images will print in reverse, so they must be drawn backwards. Aquatint, a technique that etches a stippled surface into the plate, allows the artist to control the way ink is held and to create varying shades of gray or colors. A separate plate is usually etched for each color, and the paper runs through the press to receive ink from each. The print must be carefully marked so that each color prints in the correct place.