A Tune 1976 - 1977

David Hockney made this print, "A Tune," using etching, aquatint and drypoint. The marks are so varied, from the delicate lines describing the table and objects, to the looser hatching and cross-hatching that builds up the forms of the rock and tower. It's like he’s thinking out loud with the ink. The colors are bright and playful. They almost seem arbitrary, blobs of saturated hues sitting atop pale drawn forms. Look at that red brushstroke, right at the top: a little firework of color. The drypoint gives the lines a velvety texture, a kind of intimate roughness that contrasts with the flat planes. It’s as though Hockney is inviting us into his studio, showing us the process behind the picture. It reminds me a little of Picasso's playfulness, or even the way Matisse uses color to create space. It's all about the conversation between the hand, the eye, and the material.