Now that I’ve finished my first mezzotint plate, I’m ruminating about whether to move ahead with this series. Normally, this wouldn’t be such an important decision, but the high cost of working in mezzotint is making me think more than twice. With a 4″ x 5″ plate costing $35, and a 7″ x 12″ plate costing $120, I can’t imagine that I can afford to work larger than 4″ x 5.” If I go through with it, I know that the compulsive part of me will want to make 50 prints. I have to think through very carefully whether I want to make this commitment or not. Are the visual effects that I’m getting in the mezzotint worth the cost?
I worry whether these mezzotints will have enough of an impact. All of my work for the past several years has been large in scale, and I wonder whether I’m discriminating against these mezzotints because they’re so small. I suppose they will have a different kind of impact, one that is more intimate and quiet than the figure drawings I’m making right now.
What do you think, do I move ahead with this series of mezzotints, or do I keep experimenting with other media?
Clara Lieu 
Do you have some kind of photo impression made on the plate, before you get to work on it?
Are you learning something new with the fifty pieces? Im wondering why duplicate something already explored? Do you want to perfect mezzotints? There is something nice about having large giant pieces and then the small intimate mezzo. Sorry the thoughts are so scattered