Etching

Etching is an intaglio method in which drawn marks are eaten into a metal plate by acid or chemical means rather than cut out with a tool. An acid-resistant ground is thinly coated and dried on a plate. The artist draws through the ground with any number of various tools to expose the metal. The plate is immersed in an acid bath that chemically dissolves the exposed metal, creating depressed lines or areas that can be inked and printed.