Fine Art Etching And Engraving

Fine art etching and fine art engraving are both intaglio print processes but they are not the same thing. A lot of people use the terms interchangeably which frustrates artists a lot. For those who are not familiar let us describe how these two processes differ. 

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Fine art etching the artist paints resists on a copper plate and then pours acid on the copper plate. The longer the artist lets acid bite different parts of the plate, the darker the corresponding place in the print will be. Fine art etching can be done on copper and zinc plates, not steel or aluminum. 

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Fine art engraving is a process where the artist uses a tool called a burin to carve the copper by hand. A burin is an engraving tool like a very fine chisel with a square shaped tip. Lightness and darkness of the print is controlled by the amount of pressure the artist uses.

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Also, both are intaglio techniques. Intaglio refers to all printmaking and printing techniques where the image is incised into a surface and the incisions hold the ink. Both of these processes are printed on specialized paper that is usually made from cotton rags. It's a very soft paper and is not like textured paper. 

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If you are an artist who does fine art etchings or fine art engravings, and need someone who specializes in editioning chine colle intaglio prints and who can assist you through the platemaking phases, contact William Demaria Artist in Garden City, NY. William Demaria is an experienced private contact printer and is available to help you with your projects! Contact him to learn more.