Etching is an intaglio printmaking process in which lines or areas are incised using acid into a metal plate in order to hold the ink. In etching, the plate can be made of copper or zinc. To prepare the plate for etching, it is first polished to remove all scratches and imperfections from the surface. When the surface is completely smooth, it is covered evenly with a layer of acid-resistant varnish or wax, which is called the ground. Using a blunt stylus called an etching needle, the printmaker gently scratches away parts of the ground following the drawing, thereby exposing the metal beneath, that will be corroded by acid.
Limited Edition: n. 1/10 (2021).
