Etchings

I've been spending some time in the print workshop recently and I've really enjoyed learning a new process. Below are some zinc-plate etchings that I produced for an etymology book. Naturally, many of the word origins are wrapped up in myth so they're very hard to prove or disprove, but it was a fun project to research.

'Sine Cera'

It's possible that the word 'sincere' is derived from the Latin words 'sine cera' meaning 

'without wax'. During the Republic of Rome unscrupulous builders and craftsmen would 

supposedly employ wax as an adhesive as it was a cheaper alternative to mortar. Wax 

might also have been used to conceal imperfections in stone or woodwork, so claiming 

something was 'sine cera' would have been an important declaration of honesty.

   

'Fed Up'                                                      'Red Herring'