Technique
Drypoint
An intaglio technique in which the image is scratched directly into a plate. The raised burr gives the line a characteristically soft, dark quality.
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Understanding the term
The needle pushes metal into a small burr beside the scratched line. That burr holds extra ink and creates the velvety tone. It wears down quickly during printing, so early impressions may be darker and richer than later ones.
When Drypoint 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.
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