Etching & Intaglio

Intaglio is the form of printmaking in which the image is incised into a printing plate. Under the umbrella of intaglio, we find the techniques of etching, engraving, drypoint, mezzotint, and collagraph.

Guide to Etching

 
We stock intaglio tools from the world’s leading manufacturers including etching needles, carbide tip tools, burin engravers, and mezzotint rockers.We stock intaglio tools from the world’s leading manufacturers including etching needles, carbide tip tools, burin engravers, and mezzotint rockers.

We stock intaglio tools from the world’s leading manufacturers including etching needles, carbide tip tools, burin engravers, and mezzotint rockers.

Shop Etching & Intaglio Tools

Zinc and copper plates for etching, transparent plates for collagraph, monoprint, and drypoint, and preparation tools can be found in this section.Zinc and copper plates for etching, transparent plates for collagraph, monoprint, and drypoint, and preparation tools can be found in this section.

Zinc and copper plates for etching, transparent plates for collagraph, monoprint, and drypoint, and preparation tools can be found in this section.

Shop Plates & Prep

Browse traditional formula oil based inks and a selection of modifiers, as well as watersoluble inks for intaglio techniques.Browse traditional formula oil based inks and a selection of modifiers, as well as watersoluble inks for intaglio techniques.

Browse traditional formula oil based inks and a selection of modifiers, as well as watersoluble inks for intaglio techniques.

Shop Ink & Modifiers

Etching mordants Ferric Chloride and Copper Sulphate are now tried and tested safer alternatives to Nitric Acid and Dutch Mordant.Etching mordants Ferric Chloride and Copper Sulphate are now tried and tested safer alternatives to Nitric Acid and Dutch Mordant.

Etching mordants Ferric Chloride and Copper Sulphate are now tried and tested safer alternatives to Nitric Acid and Dutch Mordant.

Shop Etching Solutions & Trays

 
In this section we have the tools and materials you will need to dab, scrape, or roll your ink onto the intaglio plate.In this section we have the tools and materials you will need to dab, scrape, or roll your ink onto the intaglio plate.

In this section we have the tools and materials you will need to dab, scrape, or roll your ink onto the intaglio plate.

Shop Inking & Wiping

An assortment of essentials for intaglio, including low odour solvents as well as alkaline stripping agents for acrylic resists.An assortment of essentials for intaglio, including low odour solvents as well as alkaline stripping agents for acrylic resists.

An assortment of essentials for intaglio, including low odor solvents as well as alkaline stripping agents for acrylic resists.

Shop Sundries

Traditional bitumen and wax-based grounds, dedicated acrylic grounds and resists, and materials for creating carborundum plates.Traditional bitumen and wax-based grounds, dedicated acrylic grounds and resists, and materials for creating carborundum plates.

Traditional bitumen and wax-based grounds, dedicated acrylic grounds and resists, and materials for creating carborundum plates.

Shop Platemaking Grounds & Resists

We have over 600 book titles and over 200 DVDs to help inspire and motivate your artistic practice.We have over 600 book titles and over 200 DVDs to help inspire and motivate your artistic practice.

We have hundreds of titles to help inspire and motivate your artistic practice.

 

XXX




An Introduction to Etching & Intaglio

An Introduction to Etching & Intaglio

Intaglio plates are prepared for printing by pushing the ink into the incised lines, pits or burrs you make in the plate, and then wiping away the ink from its surface.

Etching involves biting the exposed areas of metal with acid or alternative solutions such as ferric chloride or copper sulphate. Areas that are not to be bitten have acid resists applied in the form of grounds to draw through, aquatints for tone, and stop-out varnishes.

Engraving dates from about the 15th century. It is a non-etched intaglio technique whereby groves are cut into the plate with sharp burin engravers. Adapted from goldsmithing, engravings have distinct and slightly embossed lines, properties found to be invaluable for printing banknotes.

With drypoint, lines are scratched into the plate with sharp points and a burr is thrown up along the line, a bit like a furrow created by a plough. This burr and furrow hold onto the ink, giving a soft feathery line when printed.

Mezzotint is a type of reverse image-making technique whereby the whole plate is roughened with a mezzotint rocker which will print as velvety black. The roughened plate is then scraped and burnished smoother in gradations to draw rich tonal variations from the darkness.

Collagraphs straddle the intaglio/relief definition but are often inked and printed in the same way as intaglio. Plates are constructed using found materials and carborundum stuck onto all sorts of substrates, offering versatile and creative image-making.

In this section you will find traditional and modern materials for etching and intaglio. Please take a look at our PDF guides for help.