Technique
Etching
An intaglio technique in which an image is drawn through a protective ground on a metal plate, then bitten into the plate with acid.
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- Technique
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Understanding the term
An acid-resistant ground covers the plate and a needle exposes metal wherever a line is wanted. The length of the acid bath affects the line's depth and darkness. The plate may be altered between printings, so the work can exist in different states.
When Etching is given as a technique, it describes the process that created the work's impression, structure or surface. Technique and subject are distinct: very different images can be made using the same method.
The process can often be read in edges, lines, layers and surface. It can also explain natural variation between examples and offer useful evidence about workflow, edition and appropriate care.
Related entries
Continue through the glossary with terms from the same field.