Collector’s Handbook: Print Series: Etching

Prints are an intriguing art form that often prompt the curious question: Is it a handcrafted piece or a produced replication? Our series aims to demystify this artistic process.

Etching is an art form with its own process. In this edition of the Collector's Handbook: Print Series, we delve into the etching process—a method that has captivated artists and collectors for centuries with its delicate balance of precision and expression. Here, we will touch upon the origins, techniques, and nuances that make etching a unique and valued component of the printmaking world.

More an in depth guide on collecting prints refer to our article: Collector’s Handbook: How to collect Prints?
 

A print is an artistic work produced in multiples, achieved by transferring an image from a primary surface onto another. This can be accomplished through a variety of methods, with etching, lithography, screen printing, and woodcut being among the most recognized techniques. Each method has its own aesthetics and technical intricacies.

To prepare the plate for etching, it is first polished to remove all scratches and imperfections making it completely smooth. It is then covered evenly with a layer of acid-resistant varnish or wax, which is called the ground. Then, a drawing is created on the wax-coated metal plate with a needle or a blunt stylus. The plate is then immersed in acid, which etches the exposed, scratched metal lines and eats away the metal. Ink is then applied onto these plates. The groove created by the acid retains the ink and the rest is cleaned away with a damp cloth. The depth of these lines, which will hold the ink, depends on how long the plate stays in the acid. After cleaning and inking the plate, only the etched lines retain ink. Paper is pressed onto the plate to transfer the inked image, so the final image appears in reverse. This is done either by hand or through a press with rollers. The pressure of the press not only forces the ink onto the damp paper, but also produces an outline of the outer edges of the metal plate in the paper, known as a plate mark.To prepare the plate for etching, it is first polished to remove all scratches and imperfections making it completely smooth. It is then covered evenly with a layer of acid-resistant varnish or wax, which is called the ground. Then, a drawing is created on the wax-coated metal plate with a needle or a blunt stylus. The plate is then immersed in acid, which etches the exposed, scratched metal lines and eats away the metal. Ink is then applied onto these plates. The groove created by the acid retains the ink and the rest is cleaned away with a damp cloth. The depth of these lines, which will hold the ink, depends on how long the plate stays in the acid. After cleaning and inking the plate, only the etched lines retain ink. Paper is pressed onto the plate to transfer the inked image, so the final image appears in reverse. This is done either by hand or through a press with rollers. The pressure of the press not only forces the ink onto the damp paper, but also produces an outline of the outer edges of the metal plate in the paper, known as a plate mark.

Learn More about the process through The Met: https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/collection-areas/drawings-and-prints/materials-and-techniques/printmaking/etching

Etching has been used since ancient times for intricate black and white images. It originated from armor decoration techniques in the 14th century and evolved into a printmaking process in the 17th century. Famous artists like Rembrandt and Lucian Freud used etching for atmospheric effects. It was also used for decorative purposes in antiquity, like the etched carnelian beads from the Indus Valley civilization, which were significant in ancient trade.

In Europe, etching was known for decorating metal items like guns and armor since the Middle Ages. Daniel Hopfer is believed to have invented etching for printmaking in the early 16th century.

Aquatint is a technique to create shaded areas on an etching plate, and it's been around since the 1700s. To start, one makes the plate a bit rough by sprinkling it with rosin powder and then heating it so the powder sticks. When put the plate in acid, the acid eats away little pits where the powder was, and these hold the ink. By changing how big and deep these pits are, one can get all kinds of shades and textures.

Though some artworks are just aquatint, it's often used together with regular line etching. With aquatint, one can get a whole range of shades, from light to dark.

Uses a softer ground that captures the texture of fabrics or other materials pressed into it, resembling a drawing. It is a variation of hard-ground etching, made softer with added grease, leaving it slightly sticky. Introduced in the 1800s, it was first used to create drawings indirectly. Artists would lay paper over the greased plate and draw on it, causing the ground to stick to the paper and leaving a textured line on the plate. This plate could then be etched with a mild acid.

Nowadays, soft-ground etching is popular for transferring different textures onto the plate. By placing materials with various textures onto the plate and pressing them through an etching press, the soft ground captures these textures. Artists can protect certain parts of the plate from the acid by covering them with a stop-out varnish. The exposed areas are then etched to create the final image. This method is great for achieving effects similar to collage in the finished print.

 It combines multiple plates, each representing a color and its shades, to overprint on the same sheet of paper. Typically, four plates—one for each primary color (yellow, red, and blue) and one for black—can produce a full spectrum of colors. Different colors can be printed from the same plate if the design separates the color areas clearly, though this requires precise inking and wiping.

The main challenge in this process is aligning the colors correctly. If the ink can be printed while still wet, it's fairly straightforward, but sometimes the layers must be dried before adding more color. Drying can cause the paper to shrink, making it tricky to match up the sizes for the next color.

There are a few ways to ensure the plates are aligned correctly. For wet-on-wet printing, the first inked plate is placed on the press, and its position is marked. The paper is then secured at one end and folded back after printing to align the second plate. Mats, either cardboard or metal, can also help by matching the size of the wet paper; the plate's position is marked on the mat for alignment.

The most accurate method is to use pinholes. Holes are made in the mat and all the papers, allowing them to be aligned using needles during printing. These holes are near the edges that will be trimmed off, ensuring they don't affect the final print

It was pioneered by Rolf Nesch, a German-Norwegian printmaker. In contrast to traditional intaglio methods where artists carve their designs into a plate, Nesch's approach is additive. He constructed designs by attaching cut-out metal shapes onto the plate's surface using soldering methods. Instead of using the typical etching needle or graver, this process employs shears, wire cutters, and a soldering iron, resulting in plates with a pronounced relief that creates a distinct embossed effect on the print. These plates may also be integrated with sections that are etched or engraved in the traditional manner and can incorporate materials like wood and plastics.

Due to the significant relief depth, these plates demand specially adapted presses for printing. Some contemporary artists craft such high reliefs that standard etching presses and printing papers are inadequate, necessitating the use of hydraulic presses to mold paper pulp into the desired high-relief shapes.

While embossing in art is not a recent innovation, with techniques such as "goufrage" seen in some Japanese woodcuts, it has gained particular prominence in modern printmaking. Many contemporary artists are now actively experimenting with this aspect of intaglio prints, creating subtle paper bas-reliefs to play with the dynamics of shadow and light.

Copper was traditionally used for etching, but zinc and steel are also used. Each has different qualities affecting the etching process and the ink color. Today, steel is the most preferred medium for printmaking.

Artists can create many prints from a single plate, but they limit the number to maintain quality. Once the series is complete, the plate is usually cancelled to prevent further use. This is what is called as Editions!

Etching remained popular with artists through the 19th and 20th centuries. Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, and others have significantly contributed to its development, each using etching in unique ways.

Contemporary artists such as Anadamoy Banerjee and Shripad Gurav are exploring the boundaries of etching techniques with their creative pieces, as displayed in our "Singing The Body Electric" exhibition, curated by Kristine Michael at APRE Art House in 2022.

 See more modern & contemporary works on MOMA's website: https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/etching

In conclusion, etching stands as a unique process and medium highlighting the complexity of printmaking. This technique, which dates back to the decoration of armor and evolved through the creative hands of masters, continues to captivate with its potential for depth, texture, and tone. As we've seen, from the classic etching to Metal Graphic technique, etching offers a vast range for artistic expression. The Collector's Handbook: Print Series on Etching provides a comprehensive journey through its history, methods, and materials, equipping collectors and art enthusiasts with the knowledge to appreciate and engage with this multifaceted art form.