David Hockney was known for his portraiture and etchings, the examples above show the simplistic sketchy illustrative style he frequents in his work. Hockney has a different way of working, while he does extensive sketching and research for his work he also prefers to work on the plate directly  developing it as he goes along rather than taking reference from his sketches. The processes he prefers to use, are lithograph and etching be it aquatint or dry point, some of his most notable collections of prints are “The Grim Fairy-tales” and “A Rakes Progress”.

“The Arrival” part of the print series “A Rakes Progress”1961

The series “A Rakes Progress” 1961 documented his trip to New York during the Americanisation of media, a rite of passage for a young artist. Much like the original telling of “A Rakes Progress” by printmaker William Hogarth in 1735, the collection depicts a downfall in the focused character, but Hockney shows a loss of a sense of individuality within this Americanised world. The above image is the first print in the series titled “The Arrival” depicting a man with wings branded flying tiger, approaching a cityscape. I really like the illustrative style especially the buildings in the back, knowing when to use tone and detail even in Hockney’s simplistic manner shows his thought process as he works on the plate. The print is a combination of aquatint and dry point, the exploration and combination of different methods of printmaking has always been an interest of Hockney’s as he continuously experimented during his 60 year span of printmaking. This inspires me as it reinforces the process as being just as important as the outcome, the experimentation is an important part of the process and not to stress about having a clear path towards an expected outcome but to indulge in curiosity and possibilities of what can be achieved.