Where is etching used

The art of etching is one of the oldest printmaking mediums—originating in the 15 th century and evolving out of techniques developed by armorers to decorate their wares. Rembrandt completely revolutionized the art form of etching and, at the museum, you can witness etchings being created in the same way that Rembrandt did over years ago.

Etching on laid paper with small margins. Each involved crafting an image on a metal plate, inking the plate, and running the plate and paper through a printing press. Copper engraving is the oldest technique and was very popular during the Renaissance.

As the name suggests, it involves carving an image directly onto a copper plate. It could be quite difficult and involved a certain degree of metal-working skill. Drypoint is similar—the artist used a needle called a burin to scratch lines onto a metal plate.

The lines were superficial, but you could get a burr—that is, a rough edge—on the lines, which would hold ink. In certain cases, a printmaker can choose not to clean the plate entirely, but to leave a thin layer of ink on the plate to create tone. Once the surface of the plate is wiped clean to a satisfactory level, the plate is placed on the bed of a rolling printing press, with the ink side up. Although some early intaglio prints appear to have been produced by simply pressing the paper against the plate with one's hands, in most cases the pressure required to force the paper into the finely cut lines entailed the use of a special press equipped with rollers.

Before the plate is moved through the press, it is covered with a sheet of dampened paper and then printing blankets, often made of felt, to soften the pressure on the metal plate. Once printed onto its paper support, the etching's design appears in reverse of the original on the plate. The pressure of the press not only forces the ink onto the damp paper, but also produces an outline of the outer edges of the metal plate in the paper, known as a plate mark. Liz Zanis American, born Little Towel , Etching and copper plate.

Courtesy of the artist. Steel and copper plates were traditionally used for etching; a steel plate produced many more prints and copper produced a finer line and a better aquatint when etched. Today zinc plates are also used and as the softest of the three metals it is the quickest to file, polish and etch, making it ideal for use by beginners.

Accessibility options: Jump to content. Leicester Print Workshop Email info leicesterprintworkshop. Facebook Flickr Donate Twitter Vimeo. Home » Printmaking » Etching » A brief history of etching The earliest examples of etchings are on suits of armour, which were originally decorated with lines engraved by hand.