I must be nuts doing this large drypoint - my hands going to drop off !!

I have been working for the second day steadfastly on this large drypoint and honest to goodness it's so ridiculously knackering. It's kind of a large spiderweb format of handwriting that I am making to submit to something later this month.

Honestly, I spent so much time working out the design through the computer that, in the end, I have not left a lot of time for the plate making!! I did some tests on aluminium but it's just not up to the same outcome as you get from copper.

I had thought that aluminium would be easier to work into, than copper but ultimately I am now scribing into copper. It's really hard going on my hands wrists fingers and if I overdo it - it aches the nerves going up to my neck even my dear old head.

Here are some of the ideas from a visual point of view. I was saying to a colleague at FDPW the other day how I had made so many possibilities based on my essential idea that it was getting ridiculous so I thought - in fact I just wanted to get on with the practicalities of making it.