WHAT IS INTAGLIO PRINTING?

 Intaglio printing is a form of printing that involves carving an image on a metal

plate, which is then covered in ink and transferred to paper.
 The name intaglio derives from the Italian intagliare, meaning ''to carve'' or ''to
engrave'', a reference to cutting the image into the metal plate.

Types of Intaglio Printing

1. Etching- To create an etching, you must first coat a metal plate with an acid-
resistant etching ground made from paint, wax, asphaltum or oil pastels. Using
an etching needle, draw the lines of your design on the etching ground to expose
the metal. Lay the plate into a mild acid bath. The exposed lines will be 'bitten' by
the acid, recessing them beneath the surface of the plate. To create deeper and
darker lines, leave the plate in the acid for longer.
2. Drypoint- Drypoint etching is created by hand using a diamond-tipped tool to
carve a design on a metal plate, raising an edge on the plate called a burr. The
plate is then carefully covered in ink and pressed onto damp paper. The plate
can only be used a few times before the weight of the press crushes the burr.
This technique does not require an acid solution as part of the process because
the burr (not the line) retains the ink. The burr has a rough edge and creates a
soft, feathery line.
3. Engraving- You can create an engraving by cutting your design into a copper
plate using a burin. This tool comes in various sizes and has a diamond-shaped
head, making a line width that goes from thick to thin (unlike an etching which
usually has lines of the same width). To create a curve, you must move the plate,
not the tool. The printing plate is inked, and the excess ink is wiped off, leaving
only the ink in the etched areas. Paper is then pressed onto the printing plate,
resulting in a printed design.
4. Aquatint- To create an aquatint plate, first, etch a copper plate with your design,
degrease it, and then coat it with rosin powder. Heat the plate, so the rosin
powder melts and sticks to it. Once the plate has cooled, paint an acid-resistant
substance (known as stop-out) in the areas you do not want any tone (you can
also use a litho-crayon to create a softer texture). Submerge your plate into acid
to be 'bitten'. The longer the plate is exposed to the acid, the darker the tone will
be. To preserve a tone, you can remove, rinse, dry your plate, and apply a stop-
out to the section you want to keep intact. Continue to darken the tone of the rest
of the plate by re-submerging it in the acid bath.
5. Mezzotint- it uses metal tools to create indentations and texture on a metal plate
to create a surface with raised areas that can be inked and transferred to paper.
Mezzotint has a rich, velvety texture, and artists can use it to create delicate
gradations of tone.

Step-by-step process of Intaglio Printing

 The artist or printmaker first creates an image on a metal plate using several
methods we've discussed, such as engraving, etching, or drypoint.
 The entire metal plate is covered with ink using a roller, ensuring the ink is
squeezed into every line and cut. Then, using a tarlatan cloth, the excess ink is
removed from the surface of the plate, leaving only the ink in the recessed areas.
 At this point, the inked metal plate is ready to be printed. It is placed on top of a
sheet of dampened paper and run through a press. The pressure from the press
forces the paper into the tiny crevices on the surface of the metal plate, picking
up ink as it is rolled.
 After being run through the press, the paper is dried and then fixed so that the
image will not smudge or fade over time. The final product is a unique print with
rich detail and tones.

Sample pictures

Etching Drypoint Engraving

Aquatint Mezzotint
Intaglio Printing tools

1. Etching needles 2. Scraper

2. Brayer Etching press

References:

Vault Editions. Intaglio Printing: The History and Process. Intaglio Printing: The
History and Process (vaulteditions.com)
Robert, 2022. PrintToPeer. Top 18 Printmaking Tools List for 2022. Top 18
Printmaking Tools List for 2022 (printtopeer.com)