copper plates for printing

Here is the progress so far on my first mezzotint plate:

I had to prop the plate on the scanner using the pen so that the reflected light would show the contrast between the all-over texture from the mezzotint rocker in the background (which will print black) and the parts I scraped away for my image. This needs lots of work before I pull a proof. After I print it a few times, I plan on cutting the main cellular form out with a jeweler's saw and printing it that way, perhaps with a few other shapes. I like the idea that each print in a series can have the same forms and remain unique. We'll see.

Here is a detail scan of a drypoint plate I'm working on simultaneously:
I'm really eager to get these plates done so I can get into Pickwick and print my brains out.