ETCHING: A print made from a copper plate, covered in a waxy acid-resistant ground. The artist draws an image through the ground with an etching needle and then immerses the plate in acid that bites into the bare metal exposed by the drawing, creating an incised design on the plate. The waxy ground is then removed, and the plate is covered in ink, which settles into the grooves of the design, as the excess ink is wiped. A sheet of damp paper and the plate are pressed together in a printing press, leaving a reversed impression on the paper. (Example: Fumette)
DRYPOINT: An etching technique in which the artist draws directly onto an ungrounded plate with a sharp needle, creating a metal ridge (a burr) along the incised groove that holds ink in the printing process. This results in rich, velvety lines. (Example: J. Becquet, Sculptor)
LITHOGRAPH: A print made from a stone, on which the artist draws an image with a greasy crayon. An acid wash and a solution of gum Arabic are applied to the stone to seal the drawing. The stone is then coated with water to render the blank spaces grease-repellent; ink is rolled on the stone and adheres only to the artist’s design. When a sheet of paper is then pressed onto the stone, the artist’s image leaves an impression. Whistler favored a method known as transfer lithography, in which the drawing is first made on a sheet of paper, which is then dampened and pressed to a stone on which it replicates the drawing. (Example: La Belle Dame Endormie)
