Etchings are original prints. This means that
the image has been developed on the plate and is not a reproduction of an
existing image.A limited number of prints are made from the etched plate, this
is called an Edition. The number of prints in the edition is marked at the
bottom of the image and the artist's signature guarantees the edition size.Etching
is a very versatile method of printmaking. It can be as simple as a line
drawing. It can be used freely, creating broad areas of colour, tone and
texture. It can be extremely controlled. It can also incorporate most of the
qualities of relief printing, lithography and screen-print as well as an
enormous range of tonal, linear, colour, textural and other effects unique to
itself.
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An etching is
normally made on a metal plate. To print it, the surface is covered with ink
and then wiped with muslin. The ink remains in marks that have been made in the
metal by various means including the use of acid, scratching, polishing and
engraving. Unlike most other printmaking techniques, the ink-holding marks
on the plate can be altered. This means that the image can be changed and
developed until image is completed.
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