What is Etching?
Etching, like engraving, is an intaglio printmaking technique that uses a metal plate, usually copper, in which a design has been incised using acid. To begin, the plate is covered with an acid-resistant substance, known as the etching ground, through which the design is crafted with a sharp tool. The plate is then exposed to an which eats away the areas of the plate that are not covered in the ground, creating a pattern of recessed lines. These lines carry the ink, and, when the plate is applied to damped paper, the design is then transferred onto the paper, making a finished print.
History of etching
Etching as a form of printmaking was born out of the centuries-old custom of etching designs into armour. The first recorded etching can be traced back to 1513 by the Swiss artist Urs Graf, who printed from iron plates. Arguably the greatest master of etching was Rembrandt who produced over 300 etchings which were unsurpassed at the time for their technical and artistic beauty.
Etching continued to evolve across the centuries and was used by most artists throughout the 19th century, and in the 20th century the technique was adopted with new vigour by several prominent artists. Principally among them is Pablo Picasso, who first made etching a vasal for his Cubist concepts and subsequently mastered the technique’s purity of line in his “classical” period. Other artists including David Hockney and Joan Miro have also created important work in the medium.
Aquatint
Aquatint is a subset of etching in which the copper plate is exposed to acid through a layer of melted granulated resin, leaving a consistent, pitted surface that produces larger areas of tone when the grains are removed and the plate is printed. Etching and aquatint are often combined in a print by means of successive workings of its plate.
Discover our selection of prints for sale from some of the most important artists of the 20th century including Banksy, Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol and more. For further information and to speak to Andipa Editions, contact our gallery via sales@andipaeditons.com or call 020 7589 2371.