Existing comment:
Etching is an intaglio printmaking technique that uses acid to etch lines below the surface of a metal plate. Whistler started with a copper plate that was coated with an acid-resistant, protective layer. He used a sharp steel etching needle to scratch his design through the coating. When immersed in acid, the lines left bare by Whistler's needle were etched into the plate. After the acid was washed off and the coating removed, the plate was inked an carefully wiped with a cloth to leave ink in the grooves, as well as selectively on the plate surface. Whistler then covered the plate with paper and ran it through a printing press, transferring all the ink onto the sheet, as shown in the prints displayed here. |