Admiral Sir Ernle Chatfield, British Navy 1921

This is a print of Admiral Sir Ernle Chatfield by Walter Tittle, and you can see how the etched lines vary in weight and depth, which is just the nature of the process. Looking closely, you can see how Tittle uses the etched line to describe the Admiral's face. In the shadowed side of the Admiral’s nose, Tittle uses tight groupings of short, sharp lines to create a sense of depth. This area contrasts with the more open, flowing lines used on the cheekbones, which suggest the planes of the face, catching light. I love the details in the suit; the buttons are just suggested with a quick, looping line. It makes me think of other portraitists like Lucian Freud, who are also interested in the play of light and shadow, and the way that marks can build up a likeness. In the end, it's the way artists build on each other’s ideas that makes art so rich.