Intaglio

Intaglio prints are those in which the image is created below the surface of the plate by directly cutting into the plate (dry point and engraving) or using acid to etch the lines into the plate. Dry point, engraving and etching are all linear techniques; grays are achieved with aquatint.

Mezzotint

A reductive intaglio technique in which a copper plate is first “rocked” with a tool to create a very rough surface and then flattened with a burnishing tool, mezzotints bring light out of darkness and are characterized by soft shadows and moody atmospheres.

Linocut

One of the relief techniques of printmaking, linocuts are created by gouging away the negative parts of a composition on a linoleum block. Ink is rolled on the remaining surface and transferred to paper to create the image, which is why they are often called “type high”.

Gelatin Plate Prints

Since they are soft, gelatin plates do not require the pressure of a printing press to transfer the image from plate to paper. I enjoy the change of pace of this more spontaneous printmaking process by building up my pieces with transparent layers of slow-drying acrylic paint.