M.C. Escher born: 1898 Leeuwarden, Holland

Background info Went to school of Decorative arts in Haarlem Switched from architecture to print making (influenced by his teacher Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita) Married Jetta Umiker in 1924 settled in Rome to raise a family until 1935 growing political turmoil forced them to move first to Switzerland, then to Belgium

More info In 1941, with World War II under way and German troops occupying Brussels, Escher returned to Holland where he lived and worked until shortly before his death.

Art In his earlier art He depicted the winding roads of the Italian countryside

ART Later his art changed to illuisons and depicting things from strange angles.

Waterfall :October, 1961e Is one of Escher's many illusions The illusion is that the water is going up hill and flowing down at the same time

Belvedere : May 1958 Is another of Escher's Illusions The illusion is the pillars are switching sides and the ladder is going backwards and forwards at the same time

Ascending and descending The people are walking up downward

Reptiles This is another of Escher's usual styles a Metamorphosis

Lithography One of Escher's common mediums is lithography The first step in the litho printing process is graining. A limestone quarry North of Munich is the best source for the world’s most superior litho stones.

Lithography Once the stone has been grained and is ready for the image, the artist must choose the image he wishes to create. The first step is to draw an outline of the final image on tracing paper. Lithography uses one surface area for the image and non-image areas. The two are separated using a chemical process that involves an etch. An etch is a solution of gum Arabic and nitric acid.

Lithography The first step of the processing is to apply rosen powder to the image area and wipe it off. Next a coat of talcum powder. Then buff the area vigorously. Then a solution is applied to the etch using a brush over the entire surface. The stone accepts this solution while the oiled image area repels the solution. The etch is left for five minutes and then buffed off the stone.

Lithography An oil-based solvent is poured over the stone and the image is washed off. A thin layer of oil-based ink is then wiped over the image area with a rag. The layer of water-soluble etch gum is then removed. then a leather roller is rolled on an ink slab and rolled over the surface of the stone. The ink is rolled several times over the stone

Lithography The entire process from rosen powder to rolling ink is repeated many times to make the image as clear as possible before printing. Then the stone is inked with the color that the image is to be printed in. Then a sheet of paper is laid face down on the stone.

Lithography A sheet of plexiglass is placed on the paper. The press bed is moved horizontally to a point where the scraper bar is lowered onto the plexiglass. As the scraper bar moves over the press bed, the image is printed onto the paper. The paper is removed.

Lithography The stone is immediately sponged and the ink process repeated for another print. To print 50 copies of the same drawing you would need at least 8-10 hours for each

bibliography html html M.C. escher his complete life and graphic work by F.H.Bool J.R.Kist J.L. Locher F.Wierda Schoolastic opsc&safe=active opsc&safe=active