WHAT IS AN ETCHING?
- An etching is a form of
printmaking which refers to the intaglio techniques. First the metal plate
(usually copper or zinc) is covered with a thin resinous film impervious
to acid. The artist draws on this ground with a needle (burin) exposing
line on the metal plate which are bitten when the
plate is paced in an acid bath. A print is obtained by rolling the plate,
covered by a sheet of dampened paper through a press; so that the paper is
forced into the engraved lines picking up the ink.
WHAT IS AN AQUATINT ETCHING?
- Aquatint is a tone (value) process
which uses acid as in etching. The plate is covered with a porous ground
of rosin which allows the acid to bite away a fine mesh of tiny dots. The
artist first stops out the white areas of the picture, immerses the plate
briefly for the next lightest tones and repeats this process for
successively darker tones.
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