Stephen McMillan
Print Statement
Throughout his life, Steve Mcmillan has been inspired and sustained by the natural world and has spent much of his time outside. Whether it's a bike ride in the Bellingham area countryside, or a week-long backpacking trip in the high Sierra, he is renewed and invigorated by being in and moving through landscape. It is this sense of renewal that he seeks to share with others.
About the Process:
Aquatint etching is a technique that produces a full tonal range and rich texture in etchings. An aquatint is created by etching sections, rather than lines, of a plate in order to create areas of uniform tone. An aquatint is prepared by applying resin or a similar ground to a metal plate, which is then heated, thus adhering the ground to the metal. This gives a roughness or grain to the plate which adds texture to the image. The plate is then immersed in an acid bath, which bites or etches the plate and creates areas which will hold the ink. The design is created with gradations of tone achieved through repeated acid baths combined with varnish used to stop out areas of lighter tone. Aquatint is an intaglio process, so prints made in this manner will have a platemark. Aquatinting, with its areas of tone, was often used to duplicate the feel of a watercolor. Aquatints were invented by Jean Baptiste Le Prince around 1768, but became especially popular among British printmakers in the first part of the nineteenth century.
The image size posted is image only, not paper size and the prices posted are unframed.
Video of Stephen explaining how he does the work:Click here
Mountain Paintbrush

Mountain Paintbrush
Color aquatint etching || 4 x 6 inches image || Edition: 200 Mount Baker Wilderness area || $ 150
Red Sky

Red Sky
Color Aquatint etching || 4 x 6 || An afternoon soaking mountain rain is followed by a spectacular sunset over Mono Divide. || $ 150
Bellingham Bay

Bellingham Bay
Aquatint etching || 11 x 12 image || West from Taylor Dock, Bellingham, WA || $ 250
Sea rocks

Sea rocks
Color Aquatint Etching || 12 x 8 || Edition:250 || $ 250
North Cascades

North Cascades
Aquatint etching || 11 x 7 image || Edition: 200 || $300
Island View

Island View
Aquatint etching || 11 x 15 paper || $ 100
Drawing a Crowd

Drawing a Crowd
Aquatint Etching || 15 x 11 paper || Edition:250 || $ 250
Wild Sky

Wild Sky
Color aquatint etching || 15 x 17 paper || Ottoway Lake,Yosemite National Park, California || $ 350
Last Light

Last Light
Aquatint etching || 5 x 7.5 image || Edition:120 || $ 100
Foxtail Pines

Foxtail Pines
Color aquatint etching || image 12 x 9 || Cottonwood Lakes, John Muir Wilderness, California || $ 350
Nisqually Duck

Nisqually Duck
Aquatint etching || 6 x 9 image || $ 90
Cloud Dance

Cloud Dance
Aquatint etching || 6 x 9 image || Clouds swirl around the summit of Mt Shuksan on this early Summer day at the Mt Baker Ski Area. || $ 90
Haiku

Haiku
Aquatint Etching || Image: 5.5 x 8.9 || This view of fog over Lake Whatcom is a study of a quiet meditative setting. Though it is a visual image, at times I think of an image as akin to a musical composition, or even as a kind of poetry. || $ 100
Gathering

Gathering
Aquatint etching || 9 x 10 image || Lake Whatcom, Bellingham, Wa || $ 180
Boats

Boats
Aquatint etching || 15 x 11 paper || Reflections of boats, Squalicum Harbor, Bellingham, Wa || $ 100
Chuckanut Fog

Chuckanut Fog
Aquatint etching || 36 x 24 || Edition:250 || $ 700
Chuckanut View

Chuckanut View
Color Aquatint Etching || 6 x 21 || Edition:250 || $ 250
North Cascades

North Cascades
Color Aquatint Etching || 11 x 7 || Edition:250 || $ 300
Marina Reflections

Marina Reflections
4 plate color Aquatint Etching || 9 x 6 || $ 200
Mt Hood

Mt Hood
Aquatint Etching || 5 x 19 || Edition:250 || $ 200
Flight

Flight
Aquatint Etching || 3 x 6 || Edition:250 || $ 80
Dhauligiri

Dhauligiri
|| 6.5 x 9 || $ 100
Winter Morning

Winter Morning
Aquatint etching || 18 x 12 || Helen Putnam Regional Park, Petaluma, California || $ 250
Elfin Forest

Elfin Forest
Color aquatint etching || 6 x 9 image || Elfin Forest Preserve, Los Osos, CA || $ 200
East From Orcas

East From Orcas
Aquatint Etching || 19.25 x 15 paper || Edition:120 || $ 200
Day Dream

Day Dream
Aquatint etching || 6 x 9 image || I was floating on Lake of the Woods watching as the waves from my small boat bent the reflections on the water into intricate patterns. || $ 90
Squalicum Fog

Squalicum Fog
Aquatint etching || 12 x 18 || Squalicum Harbor, Bellingham, Washington state || $ 250
Colors

Colors
3 plate color aquatint etching || 11 x 8 || Fall colors in Bellingham WA || $ 300
Campfire

Campfire
3 plate color aquatint etching || 6 x 9 || Yosemite National Park, California || $ 200
Autumn Light

Autumn Light
Color aquatint etching || 12 x 9 image || Fall colors in Lithia Park, Ashland OR || $ 300
Ashland Creek

Ashland Creek
Color aquatint etching || 12 x 9 image || Fall colors in Lithia Park, Ashland OR || $ 300
Mountain High

Mountain High
Color aquatint etching || 6 x 9 image || Mt Langley from Cottonwood Lake #2, John Muir Wilderness, CA || $ 200
Shoreline

Shoreline
Color aquatint etching || 9 x 12 image || Edition: 200 || $ 300
Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves
Aquatint etching || 15 x 11 paper || Edition: 250 || $ 200
Rosario Strait

Rosario Strait
Aquatint Etching || 10 x 20 paper || Edition:250 || $ 100
Salish Sea

Salish Sea
Color aquatint etching || 10 x 20 papwe || Salish Sea from Skyline Divide, WA || $ 150
Mt Shuskan

Mt Shuskan
Aquatint etching || 4 x 10 || Edition: 250 Mt Shuksan, from Skyline Divide, Whatcom Co, WA || $ 100
Island Journey

Island Journey
Aquatint etching || 5 x 9 Image || I was on Cypress Island when I caught this view of a small sailboat under a beam of sunlight. In the print I try to capture the drama of the sky, and the sense of adventure for the intrepid sailors as the wend their way through these magical islands. || $ 90
Pacific Cove

Pacific Cove
Color aquatint etching || image 9 x 6 || View north on Big Sur coast || $ 200
Solstice

Solstice
Aquatint etching || image 9 x 10 || Edition: 200 Heather Meadows, Mt Baker Ski Area, WA || $ 140
Alpaca

Alpaca
Aquatint etching; Edition: 125 || 5 x 4 Image || Alpaca, San Juan Island, WA || $ 60
Swan Song

Swan Song
Aquatint etching || 4 x 8 || Trumpeter Swans, Lake Padden, Bellingham, WA || $ 60
Beach Dance

Beach Dance
Aquatint etching || 5.5 x 7.5 image || Edition: 120 || $ 80
Burano Dreams

Burano Dreams
Aquatint etching || 4 x 6 image || 3 plate color - Edition:200 || $ 150
Water Music

Water Music
Aquatint etching || 15 x 16.5 paper || Reflections of boats, Squalicum Harbor, Bellingham || $ 120
Bricole

Bricole
Aquatint etching || 7.5 x 5.25 paper || Edition: 120 || $ 90
Winter Zen

Winter Zen
Aquatint Etching || 19.5 x 15 paper || Whatcom Fall, Bellingham WA Edition: 200 || $ 200
Inside Passage

Inside Passage
Aquatint etching || 15 x 11 paper || Edition: 100 Fjordland, Inside Passage, British Columbia. || $ 100
Glacier Divide

Glacier Divide
Color aquatint etching || 10.5 x 21 paper || Glacier Divide from Humphreys Basin, John Muir Wilderness, California || $ 300
Together

Together
Color aquatint etching || 19 x 15 paper || Bald eagles in tree at Semiahmoo, Whatcom County, WA || $ 180
Harbor Music

Harbor Music
Aquatint etching || 11 x 14 paper || The pilings under the pier in Friday Harbor, WA || $ 90
Perfect Day

Perfect Day
Aquatint etching || 15 x 20 paper || $ 180
Pacific Oaks

Pacific Oaks
Aquatint etching || 4 x 5 || Edition:250 || $ 50
Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake
Color Aquatint Etching || 10 x 15 || Edition:250 || $ 180
Sailing

Sailing
Aquatint etching || 10 x 20 || $ 120
Snow Bird

Snow Bird
Aquatint etching || 14 x 24 paper || $ 300
The Lovers

The Lovers
Color Aquatint Etching || 11 x 15 paper || $ 100
Venetian Red

Venetian Red
Color Aquatint Etching || 11.5 x 11.5 paper || $ 150
Geese

Geese
Aquatint etching || 15 x 18 image || Canada Geese, Lake Padden, Bellingham, WA || $ 180
Winter Reflections

Winter Reflections
Aquatint etching || 9 x 12 image || Green Lake, Seattle, WA || $ 200
Gallery View

Gallery View
View Artwork by Stephen McMillan in Person
Come see these pieces first hand. We are just a short walk from the ferry and an excellent destination for your visit to San Juan Island.
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