Etching

Etching is the most common intaglio print technique. A matrix consisting of a metal plate, such as copper, is covered with an acid resistant paste. Using a needle, the artist then scrapes off the paste where he wants the lines to appear on the print. Dipped in, or washed over with, acid, the carved drawing is pressed into the matrix, allowing the ink to create the print. Using a high-pressure printing press, the ink is transferred to the paper. This high-pressure printing also embosses the paper and leaves the edges of the plate visible. Albrecht Dürer was one of the earliest masters of this technique. Nowadays, it is a very common printmaking technique.