Etching

Etching is an extremely popular type of intaglio printmaking, where a metal plate is covered with an acid-resistant ground, an image is drawn into the ground with a stylus, the plate is placed in an acid bath, which eats away the lines of exposed metal. Once the plate has been ‘etched’ the ground is removed, ink is rubbed into the image, and transferred to paper via a press. Etching, like drawing, often makes use of hatching and cross hatching, and may be combined with drypoint and aquatint to create deeper areas of shadow.