Etching is a printmaking
process that starts with a metal
(usually zinc) plate — and, of
course, an idea. The zinc plate is
coated with an acid-resistant
resin and heated. When the
surface is hard, a stylus or sharp
point is used to scratch through
the resin where a black line is
desired. When soaked in acid,
only the scratched lines are et
ched (or bit) deep into the plate,
as the resin protects the rest.
This process may be repeated
with touch-up coats of resin and
longer acid baths to produce line
quality; that is, thickness or
depth. When the line design is
etched as desired, turpentine is
used to remove the coat of resin.
The result is a zinc plate with an
embedded line design.
If tone is desired, a special
process called aquatint may be
used. By spraying the plate
lightly with spray paint or
sprinkling it with wax chips,
entire areas (not just lines) can
be eaten away by the acid. This
too can be done several times,
varying the amount of time in the
acid to produce darker areas.
For tone within tone a flat tool
is rubbed on these aquatinted
areas to burnish in highlights in
the dark areas. These stages are
shown in the above prints — the
left one being pure line, the right
showing an aquatint (grey) area
with certain burnished spots
(highlights).
To print the plate requires
heat, ink, rags, paper and a
printing press. The plate is
heated and spread with ink. Rags
are used to gently and uniformly
wipe the ink from the plate’s
surface while leaving some ink in
the etched lines. Damp paper
which absorbs the ink is placed
on the plate and run through the
press. The press roller forces the
ink out of the lines onto the paper.
A finished print is shown below.
hyjan Sullivan
Jan Sullivan, from Chat
tanooga, Tennessee is a
sophomore at Brevard College.
She has an interest in art and
its related fields. With ex
perience as an art student and
museum worker, she hopes to
continue her education abroad
and devote her life to a career
as either a professional artist,
an art historian or a museum
curator.
Her print “Fiesta” (at left)
has been in several art shows.
It won a purchase award at a
high school Art Scene exhibit
at Hunter Museum in Chat
tanooga.
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