Brian Hanscomb

Brian works in two different media: copperplate engraving and also in pastel & gold/platinum/palladium leaf collage.

He engraves on copperplate using tools passed on to him by his journeyman during his apprenticeship. Some of his tools are over 100 years old and are of French make while others are Swiss, American and English in origin. The tools – burins – have traditional names such as spitsticker, lozenge, square, etc. and are used to create a range of different marks and textures on the copper.
The limited editions, usually of 95, are printed by hand, using a Harry Rochat press, and Hanscomb finds the discovery of the most sympathetic paper for a particular image highly rewarding. The paper used is mainly hand or mould made, some dating back to Victorian times. His use of a single colour ink, usually black or umber, demonstrates superbly the simple line of engravings; where his work is more detailed, the use of a single ink gives the tonal illusion of colour in the print.