Art Print: fine art painting prints or art poster prints.

Etching in making art prints

In the most limited sense an etching is a drawing scratched upon a metal plate, so that, when rubbed over with ink, an impression may be taken from it on paper. There are two methods of etching: first, that in which these scratchings are deepened by application of a corrosive acid; second, the “dry-point”, in which acid is not used. Methods of preparing a copperplate for etching have been described under Engraving. In line etching, the beauty of line is of first importance. In texture, the line is of secondary importance, the desire of the artist being to render texture and suggest colour. The latter is necessarily the more difficult, the etcher being unable to judge of the effect of his work tills a proof be taken. There are methods for lightening and darkening — in the former case by the use of charcoal rubbed on the part which appears over-dark; in the latter by “stopping-out”, with a prepared varnish, the parts which are correct, and subjecting the plate again to the biting process. By M. Bracquemond's process the plate is first cleaned with turpentine and whitening. Then the drawing is made on the plate with an ordinary steel pen and ink. When the ink is dry the plate is ground and smoked in the usual manner. It is then left in water for a quarter of an hour and after that rubbed gently with flannel, when the ink, being softened, detaches itself with the ground on it, leaving the ground intact between the lines. The remainder of this process is in the usual method. For a full description of Hamerton's brush process, etc., see his Etcher's Handbook (2nd ed. 1875).

In dry-point a specially prepared etching-needle is used. The artist works directly on the plate without use of either etching-ground or acid. Etchers often make use of the dry-point to touch up their plates.

The first etcher was Albert Durer (1471-1528); the greatest, Rembrandt (1607-69). He had many followers — Ostade, Paul Potter, Nicholas Berchem, etc. Claude, the famous landscape painter, succeeded in skilfully rendering atmospheric effects in his etchings as in his paintings. Callot (1592-1635) is famous in figure etching. Turner (1775-1851), though a brilliant etcher, made great use of mezzotint for final ettect. About the same period may be mentioned Wenceslaus Hollar, Wilkie, and Geddes, also Geikie, Deuchar, Kay, and Worlidge. Hamerton awoke interest in etching by the publication of his Handbook in 1868. Meryon (1821-68) made himself famous by his etched Views of Paris, which were more fitly called the etched visions of a poet. His masterpiece is Abside de Notre Dame. Other etchers of note were Rajon (1848-88), Chodowiecki (1726-1801), Macbeth, and Oliver Hall. Among modern etchers Mr. Whistler and Sir Seymour Haden stand alone. Whistler has a magical touch, graceful, poetic. Seymour Haden is a pupil of Rembrandt—his admirers say “an equal”. Professor Legros is perhaps seen at his best in his solemn Death and the Peasant. Among his followers are W. Strang and Sir Chas. Holroyd. Paul Helleu captivates with his delicate etchings and dry-points of children and graceful women. Zorn compels our admiration with a pretended carelessness, ploughing the plate with strong and vigorous lines. D. Y. Cameron has combined the sombre northern feeling with something of Meryon and a touch distinctively his own. Frank Brangwyn, Axel Haig, C J. Watson must also be mentioned, as well as Professor Herkomer. The etching in colours of Raffaelli, Mortimer Menpes, and others deserves notice. The Royal Society of Painter-Etchers state that all forms of engraving in metal, whether by the burin, the etching-needle, by mezzotint or aquatint, or by whatever other form of engraving the artist may choose as a medium of original expression, are understood to be included in the term "painter-etching".

Etching in making art prints by Whistler: View of the Thames Tunnel Pier in 1874.

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