An etching is a type of intaglio printing. A metal plate, mostly of copper or zinc, is engraved by one of the techniques explained below. After this process, printing takes place. First, the plate is completely coated with printing ink, then the surface is wiped clean until ink is left only in the grooves. Now a dampened piece of paper is placed on the plate and both are put through a printing press.
- dry point: the motif is engraved on the printing plate with a burin by applying pressure.
- line engraving: the plate is lacquered, then the motif is carved on the dried lacquer and engraved afterwards.
- aquatint (Aqua=lat. Water + tinta = color) imitates the effect of a watercolor painting. A natural resin is applied onto the plate. Then the resin is melted by heating the plate. This creates dots of solidified matter that stick to the plate. Now the plate is engraved and the acid embeds itself in between the resin dots. The plate is cleaned and a shade tone appears after printing. The artist can control the depth and form of the shade by partially covering the plate with a lacquer. This method can be employed throughout the engraving process.
Wood block printing is an ancient printing technique. Everything that should not be printed is carved out of a wooden board. All of the raised parts are now colored with an inking roller. Finally, the wooden board is pressed onto paper. In order to produce a multicolor print, a printing plate is made for each color and printed exactly to correspond to the first printing block.
The printing method known by experts as Iris Gliclee printing is recognized by well-known museums all over the world, especially by representatives of computer art. The inkjet printing principle is behind this technique taken from the names of two printing machines; the Iris and the Roland as well as from the French verb “gicler” which means to squirt or spray. The specialty of this printing process is in the minuteness of the dots and its extremely light-fast inks as well as allowing the opportunity of printing on hand-made paper or canvas.
Translation follows.
This is the predominant printing method in use today. Newspapers, books, magazines, advertising materials and posters are made using this flat printing technique.
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