Engraving

A a work of sheet graphics – authorial print. At the beginning only the copper and steel engravings were called engravings, later on – authorial prints with the signature of an author made by any technique. Edition data (serial number of print and the total number of prints), year of creation are indicated on the graphic work signed by the author, work technique and name of the work may also be indicated. Each engraving is considered a unique graphics work and in such a way differs from edition prints.

Etching

A classical technique of intaglio graphics. Engraving is done by using an etching needle on a copper or zinc plate covered with a waxy ground. Afterwards zinc plate is bitten with a nitric acid, copper plate – with ferro-dichloride solution one or several times. By incising the varnish is exposed, therefore the scratched places are bitten by applying acid and compose a linear drawing on the print while unexposed areas of varnish turn into light tone background. The intensity of a drawing depends on biting period, the longer printing form is dipped into acid the more intense drawing is obtained. When the varnish from the plate surface is cleaned bitten places are applied with ink by rubbing it a print is obtained by running the plate through the etching press on the moisted sheet of paper. Etching technique is often combined with aquatint, softground etching, drypoint techniques. The technique was invented at the beginning of 16th century in Switzerland.

Aquatint

Aquatint (Italian acquatinta – coloured water). A technique of intaglio graphics, a variation of etching, used for creation of various tonal intensities. A printing form is made from copper or zinc plate. The areas which have to look darker on the print are covered with resin (colophony, asphaltum, etc.) powder which stick to the surface when the printing form is being heated. The printing form is cooled and pickled with acid. By biting acid bites the holes between grains and in such a way a rough surface is obtained which becomes a smooth tonal spot on the print. Ink is being rubbed into bitten areas and a print is being processed. In order to obtain a variety of tones certain areas of the plate are varnished and biting process is repeated. More times such a procedure is repeated the wider variety of tones could be obtained. A combination of aquatint and etching is commonly used in graphic art. The technique of aquatint was invented by the French artist Louis Philibert Debucourt in 1768. Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes famously took great advantage of aquatint printmaking.

Drypoint

A technique of intaglio graphics. It is incised by etching (drypoint) needle on smoothed copper or zinc plate. Unwashed or partly washed burrs left on the corners of the engraved lines hold ink while making a print and tints with intensity and softness to a line and pictorial characterestics – for a stamp. Untill the 19th century drypoint technique used to be combined with other techniques (mostly with etching) due to the use of copper for printing forms which is a soft metal and which burrs rub away quickly enough during the repeated process of printing while the picture looses its expressivity appropriate to the technique. Albrecht Dürer also produced couple drypoints, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn used it frequently (usually in conjunction with etching and engraving).

Mezzotint

Mezzotint (Italian mezzotinto: mezzo– half and tinto – painted). A technique of intaglio graphics allowing creation of a work by light and soft intermediate tones. The cliché of the engraving is made from smoothed metal plate with rough harsh surface which is incised with a dense network of lines with roughening steel tool (rocker, scraper). Afterwards the areas which are not to be covered with ink and which are to look light on the stamp are smoothed. The longer cliché is smoothed the more light tone is obtained. The technique was invented by German artist Ludwig von Siegen in 17th century.

Softground etching

A technique of intaglio graphics. A usual varnish used for etching is supplemented by grease in order to make it softer and easily recoiling from metal printing form. Varnished printing form is covered with a sheet of paper on which it is drawed. The pencil is being pressed, the varnish sticks to the sheet of paper and after removing it from – resiles from the metal plate. After biting intense, grainy lines and spots are obtained. The technique was invented in the middle of 18th century and mostly applied in 19th century.

Monotype

A graphics technique close to painting. It is painted with oil or print ink on the smoothed metal or glass plate from which the only print on moisted sheet of paper or thin linen is being made. The technique originated in 17th century in Italy. This technique was also used by Franch artist Edgar Degas.

Graphics is a fine arts branch which main means for creating an image are contour line, compositions of black and white spots, line-drawing. In graphic art an image is incised by using a chisel, a graver, a knife, an etching needle, it is pickled with chemical substances on metal or wooden plates, is drawn on stone plates. A print – graphic work is obtained from printing form covered with ink. According to the purpose graphics is categorized into: sheet (single sheets-engravings or their series, cycles), book (illustrations of books and other publications, covers, title pages, cartoons, decor of book elements and text), reproductive (graphic copies of paintings and edition prints of drawings, book illustrations), applied (commercial and product packaging design, post stamps, cards, diplomas, posters, typeface). Several printmaking methods are applied in graphic art:
Metal engravings are referable to intaglio printmaking. A work there is obtained by running a drawing incised on cliché through a printing press. Intaglio printmaking distinguishes by a large variety of techniques. According to drawing procedure two types of metal engravings could be distinguished: embossed engraving (engraving, mezzotint, drypoint) and bitten (etching, softground etching, aquatint, etc).
In relief printmaking most popular techniques are woodcut (xylography) and linocut. In both cases the image of a print in the cliché makes an embossed relief.
Lithography attributes to plane printmaking, screenprint (silkscreen, serigraphy) – to stencil printing.
Individual printmaking technique is monotype.

lt has been suggested that it was the availability of paper that prompted
the emergence of intaglio printing as an art medium in its own right in
the fifteenth century. Previous to this, there had been a tradition of metal
engraving. However, the focus was not on the transference of images to
paper, but on the decoration of three-dimensional objects. Goldsmiths, silversmiths, and armorers were important members of medieval society
and the earliest prints are thought to have evolved from the need of
these craftsmen to retain their designs for future use or to record work
in progress. The prints originally taken from these works were practical
items, but it is considered that these were the first steps toward regarding
engraved and etched works as objects in their own right.
Artists such as Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) and Rembrandt (1606-1669)
were attracted to intaglio techniques because of the flexibility of the
medium. In their hands, the engraved and etched line lent itself admirably
to the creation of shape, tone, and shadow, and the skills of these artists
helped establish the intaglio image as a respected artform.
Until the spread of the rolling press in the fifteenth century, prints were
transferred from the plate by hand-burnishing. Paper is placed over the
plate and pressure is applied to the back of the paper in an even, circular
motion to encourage the ink to adhere to the paper. However, a mechanical
press proved to be a far quicker and more effective way in which to print
from the plate and therefore greatly increased the popularity of the
printed image.
As intaglio methods developed, the medium was embraced for the use
of reproduction, originally religious imagery, playing cards, copies of
master paintings, and portraits, and leading on to the printing of books,
newspapers, political literature, and maps. Although the engravers were
highly skilled technicians, intaglio as a creative medium suffered.
While the works of Spanish artist Francisco Goya (1746-1828)
provided momentary relief during the decline ofthe medium, it was
not until the twentieth century that movements such as Expressionism,
Modernism, and Surrealism encouraged a new approach to intaglio
printmaking. Stanley William Hayter (1901-1988) was an
important figure, who inspired a generation of European and North
American artists and printmakers in his workshops, Atelier I7, based in
Paris and the United States. This was followed by establishments such as
the Pratt Graphic Center and the Universal Limited Art Editions studio in the United States, and art colleges such as the Slade in London, which strove to revive the approach to creative intaglio works.
Intaglio continues to flourish as a printmaking medium today.