Etching
Etching from the Dutch etsen, to eat, is an ENGRAVING technique dating back to about 1500.
A metal plate, usually zinc copper or brass is covered with a waxy, acid resistant ground
and scratched to reveal the metal. When submerged in, or painted with acid, the metal of
exposed areas is dissolved until the desired depth and thickness is reached. The ink is
(usually) wiped into the resultant lowered areas and the plate printed intaglio (Italian
for "below the surface:")
Electroetch
Electroetch is a new, patented, ecologically safe way of etching an image into a metal
plate without using acid. The plate is covered with a resist and portions of the resist
removed to create an image. The Electroetch processor consists of a tank filled with a
conducting solution, a plate of the same metal as the image plate, and a source of low
voltage DC electricity. The image plate is put in the tank, the positive pole of the power
source connected to it and the negative pole to the other plate. When current is passed,
the electricity etches the image by moving the exposed metal to the other plate. The
etched image plate is removed from the tank, cleaned, inked and printed in the traditional
way.
Carborundum
Carborundum is a hard powder. It is mixed with epoxy resin and applied to a metal plate to
create a printable image.
Monoprint
A monoprint is a singular work resulting from an image directly drawn or painted on a
previously worked plate, woodblock, silkscreen or lithographic stone. The image is then
printed in the traditional manner. Unique variations are possible.
Monotype
A monotype is also a singular work which is drawn or painted on a blank surface. Usually,
only one impression is made.
Drypoint
The technique of scoring an image into
the plate with a steel or diamond point. This creates a burr characteristic in the lines
which is very delicate but it tends to wear down during printing and seldom is good for
more than ten to fifteen impressions
Photoetch
A Photoetch is derived from an image which has been photographed onto a light sensitive
emulsion applied to a zinc or copper plate. The emulsion is developed to set it into a
hard plastic. The parts of the plate NOT covered by the plastic are then etched and
thereafter the plastic layer dissolved off. By selective covering and etching of the plate
the initial, image can be artistically modified.
    
    
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