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National Non-Toxic Printmaking Invitational


Intaglio

An image or tonal area is printed from lines or textures scratched or etched into a metal plate. The plate is inked, wiped, and run through a press with moistened paper, which is forced down into the inked recessions, thus transferring a reversed image. Types of intaglio include etching, engraving, drypoint, mezzotint, and aquatint. Traditional etching requires exposure to toxic chemicals and materials. The recent development of non-toxic chemical etchants by Friedhard Kiebeken has greatly increased the safety of intaglio.

Etching

A type of intaglio in which a metal plate is coated with asphaltum. Areas of asphaltum are removed to create an image. The image is chemically etched into the plate by submersion in nitric acid. When the plate is etched the desired amount, it is removed from the acid, dried, and inked to transfer the reversed image to paper. The new etching methods described below all involve chemical etching of a metal plate but without the toxicity of asphaltum and nitric acid. Keith Howard and Friedhard Kiebecken have been largely responsible for their development.

  • Bernice Cross, Palm Beach, 2003 - purchase price: $150 - Non-Toxic Etching (Ferric Chloride) or Etched Intaglio-Type
  • Bernice Cross, Montana Passageway, 2003 - purchase price: $150- Non-Toxic Etching (Ferric Chloride) or Etched Intaglio-Type
  • Bernice Cross, Brugg Dreaming, 2003 - purchase price: $150- Non-Toxic Etching (Ferric Chloride) or Etched Intaglio-Type
  • Glenna Heath, Starlight Ponies, 2004 - purchase price: $275 ($52 unframed) - Non-Toxic Etching (Ferric Chloride) or Etched Intaglio-Type
  • Glenna Heath, Trees, 2004 - purchase price: $325 ($104 unframed) - Non-Toxic Etching (Ferric Chloride) or Etched Intaglio-Type