

Intaglio's name is derived from the Italian taglare, meaning "to carve" and encompasses the largest number of printmaking techniques. Intaglio involves engraving, etching, drypoint, mezzotint, aquatint, soft ground and collagraphy.
"Bernie Allan Hughie as a Young Man" is an example of an etching. (above) The print is made by incising a drawing on the surface and thus creating an image. It is then inked and the surface wiped clean. The ink is transferred onto paper by running the plate through an etching press. The inking process is done repeatedly until the edition is done. Each one is hand inked by a printer or the artist. It is not a reproduction.
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Relief prints are made by other printing processes, in which the areas not to be printed of the block/plate are carved or incised. The ink is rolled onto the top of the surface and transferred to the paper. Often know as reverse intaglio. i.e.: wood cut or wood block printing.
"Duck on the Pond" is an example of relief block print.
Planographic prints are made by the process of printing impressions from a smooth surface rather than incising or relief areas on the plate. i.e.: lithography.
* Note, the term "litho" is used to refer to both original lithographic prints and offset photolithographs, which are reproductions.
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Claire printing an etching plate.
For more detailed descriptions, please see the "Printmaking Techniques and Definitions" selection.
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