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Etching
Aqua Forte was the name given to nitric acid in the Middle Ages. Etching is obtained by the process of first corroding a plate of copper or zinc with acid, then printing with the use of a press, which exerts pressure. The plate is first protected with a varnish (a mixture of wax, bitumen and rubber solution), which is then etched away by means of a pointed instrument which traces the drawing to be reproduced. Once. immersed in the nitric acid, diluted as required, the line traced will come out fine and not very deep or wide and deep, depending on the degree of acidity, the temperature and the reaction time allowed. In the first case the printed line will be delicate and grey, in the second wide and of an intense black. This procedure is called morsura (etching).
It is now time to take off the varnish, to clean the plate and to spread ink on it using a pad or a spatula (of plastic or cardboard) which puts the ink in the grooves. Once the plate has been cleaned, damp paper is placed on top of it and with the pressure of the press the paper receives the imprint of the ink which comes out of the grooives.
Aquatint
The technique of aquatint extends and completes the pictorial possibilities provided by etching, since it expands the scope of etching ta cover an infinite range of chromatic solutions with the use of tones and shaded areas. Aquatint is obtained hy granulating the plate with a powder so that the ink covers broader surfaces, instead of lines. There are different methods for obtaining this granulated surface. The most commonly used consists of putting a light, uniform coat of bitumen or greek pitch on the plate (this is done by putting He plate in a box where it is possible to shake the powder so that it is deposited on the plate uniformly), then the plate is heated so that the grains of bitumen or pitch stick on to it firmly: in this way the ink will only penetrate the spaces between the grains of powder.
A Touch Of History
From the 19 century right trough to the present day the technique Of Etching is part Of every artist’s experience and such a great number Of artist create works with this technique that it is hard to pick out names for special mention.
Copperplate engraving apparently originated in Germany around 1430. Use Of the technique quickly spread, finding fertile ground in Italy, especially in Florence where at those time artists like Botticelli, Verrocchio, Lippi and others were working, and inspired many engravers with their productions. In Venice many workshops were opened, including those Of Carpaccio, Cima da Conegliano and Titian.
At the beginning of the 16 century German Etching reached its greatest heights with the brilliance Of Durer’s art. It seems he was one Of the first to create etchings, together with Daniele Hopfer, while Parmigiano (1508-
In 1768 J.B. Le Prince, in France, perfected the technique of aquatint, but it seems that it was experimented still earlier by Francoise and Charpentier. In 18 century Italy great names such as Tiepolo, Canaletto and Piranesi excelled in the techniques of Etching. In Spain the late 18 and early 19 century heralded a great genius of Etching and particularly aquatint: Francesco Goya 1746-