Crackle effect in Etching

I just pulled this information  together from the excellent forum on the printmakers website INKTERACTION

The image is by my chum Ireri Topete a Mexican printmaker who I met through Inkteraction, we were both selected to be in the recent exhibition "No Toxico" held in Mexico (which is where Ireri is based)..

Here's the rundown, on how to get this effect, essentially  using hard ground, gum arabic and talcum powder.

Crackle Effect
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NOTE PRIOR TO UNDERTAKING THIS EFFECT IT WILL PROBABLY BE BEST TO DO AN AQUATINT ON YOUR PLATE.

1. Have plate grounded with an asphaltum based hard ground.

2. Once dry, dust/coat ground with talc.

3. Brush/apply a layer of gum Arabic.

4. Place plate on a hot plate (200-250 degrees, not too hot).

5. The gum arabic begins to dry and contract, creating a "crackle" effect (the thickness of the gum determines the type of crack; thicker gum produces larger, more spread out cracks, thinner gum will produce finer "packed-in" cracks)

6. Remove plate once desired crackling has been achieved and allow plate to cool.

7. Apply solvent to a rag and GENTLY blot and dab at the plate.

NOTE:  It may take some patience and a delicate touch. The solvent removes the hardgound that is exposed between the cracks

The hardground that is underneath the gum arabic remains intact.
the solvent should be able to get into the cracks and remove the ground

Once you remove the gum arabic, the only exposed parts of the plate should be the crackle lines.

Once that has been achieved rinse plate in water to remove excess gum, and etch the plate

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technical guidance by printmaker Ben Moreau