Etching

Etching is a method of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In traditional pure etching, a metal (usually copper, zinc or steel) plate is covered with a waxy ground which is resistant to acid. The artist then scratches off the ground with a pointed etching needle where he or she wants a line to appear in the finished piece, so exposing the bare metal. The échoppe, a tool with a slanted oval section, is also used for "swelling" lines. The plate is then dipped in a bath of acid, technically called the mordant (French for "biting") or etchant, or has acid washed over it. The acid "bites" into the metal (it dissolves part of the metal) where it is exposed, leaving behind lines sunk into the plate. The remaining ground is then cleaned off the plate. The plate is inked all over, and then the ink wiped off the surface, leaving only the ink in the etched lines.

History

Etching by goldsmiths and other metal-workers in order to decorate metal items such as guns, armour, cups and plates has been known in Europe since the Middle Ages at least, and may go back to antiquity. The elaborate decoration of armour, in Germany at least, was an art probably imported from Italy around the end of the 15th century—little earlier than the birth of etching as a printmaking technique. Printmakers from the German-speaking lands and Central Europe perfected the art and transmitted their skills over the Alps and across Europe.

Materials

The most common types of metals used for etching are copper, zinc, and steel. Copper is the most common metal used for artistic etching, as it is capable of producing high-quality lines and is relatively resistant to the acid used.

Techniques

There are several techniques for etching, including hard ground, soft ground, aquatint, and sugar lift aquatint. Each technique produces a different result and is used for different effects.

Applications

Etching is used in a variety of applications, including printmaking, jewelry making, and in the production of circuit boards for electronics.

See also

• Printmaking
• Engraving
• Drypoint
• Aquatint
• Mezzotint
• Lithography

Etching Resources
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