Intaglio Prints
Intaglio prints are made when the ink is pushed into the grooves and wiped clean from the flat parts of the plate. Intaglio prints are in a sense the opposite of a relief (block) print, where the print is pulled from the ink on the high parts of the plate. The term "intaglio" is from the Italian, intagliare (to incise or cut into) where the pattern is sunk below the surface. The opposite of intaglio is "cameo" or "relievo" - a carving or engraving where the design is raised.
Etchings Click image for more etchings
Etchings are made by pressing paper against a metallic plate in which a design has been carved out with acid. The grooves in the plate are filled with ink the consistency of toothpaste, usually by means of a tarletan, a rolled up ball of inky cheesecloth. The ball of cloth is rolled over the plate, cleaning the ink from the flat areas until ink is left only in the grooves. When damp paper is placed onto the plate and the two are drawn through a pair of rollers, the ink is pulled out of the grooves and deposited on the paper.
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Collagraphs Click image for more collagraphs
Intaglio plates can also be built up from the base instead of cut down with acid. This is rather like making a collage from various bits, so the resulting print is called a collagraph. They are printed just like etchings, that is, the grooves are filled with ink and polished with a tarletan. Often additional color is added with a roller, so they can be a combination intaglio and relief print. As with most printing, the plate and the print are reversed, ie, mirror images.
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