Printmaking Guides
Guide to etching
Sep
Etching is an intaglio method of printmaking which uses an acid or mordant to make marks in a metal plate surface to create a design to be printed from.
A metal plate, (usually copper, zinc or steel), is covered with a thin layer of waxy ground which is resistant to acid. The ground is then scratched through with a needle to create a line by exposing the bare metal underneath. When the plate is immersed in a mordant, the drawn lines are ‘bitten’ into the plate. The longer the plate is left in the acid, the deeper the lines become.
The plate is then inked up and then wiped clean with scrim, leaving ink only in the etched lines. A print is made by rolling the plate through a printing press with damp paper on top to produce a print.
Here at WYPW we have facilities for etching zinc, steel and aluminium plates using copper sulphate solution as a mordant. We also have a solution of Edinburgh Etch, (a mixture of ferric chloride and citric acid), to etch copper plates. We use a variety of grounds including liquid and ball grounds, and we have a traditional rosin aquatint box. All members are given an induction on the safe use of these materials and personal protective is provided. We use Hawthorn inks with a little linseed jelly added to reduce the tack, and all cleaning up of printing inks is done with vegetable oil rather than solvents.
Watch the video below to see the etching process:
Step 1: File and clean the plate
Plates need filing and cleaning before the etching process can begin. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed quis lacus nec odio consectetur aliquet vitae non nunc. Nam finibus non lorem id tempus.
Vinegar and whiting powder are used to degrease the plate surface.
Step 2: Apply wax ground resist to the plate
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Step 3: Once dry, the surface is ready to be drawn through
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Step 4: Apply stop-out varnish
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