Etching is an intaglio printmaking technique where acid is used to incise lines or areas into a metal plate, creating channels that retain the ink.
Etching is an intaglio printmaking method that yields delicate, fluid lines, ranging from elegant and sinuous to precise and textured. It involves using an etching needle, a fine-pointed instrument, to draw on a metal plate coated with a thin layer of waxy ground, providing an easily drawable surface.
When the plate is exposed to acid, the waxy ground shields the covered areas, while the drawn lines are revealed and etched by the acid. After removing the coating, the plate is inked, filling only the etched lines. Damp paper is then pressed onto the plate and passed through a press, causing the paper to conform to the etched lines and absorb the ink.