Drypoint
Drypoint is a
The term is also used for inkless scratched inscriptions, such as glosses in manuscripts.
Lines and burrs
The lines produced by printing a drypoint are formed by the
History
The technique appears to have been invented by the
In the 20th century many artists produced drypoints, including
Contemporary artists who have extensively used drypoint include Louise Bourgeois, Vija Celmins, William Kentridge and Richard Spare.
Types of needles
Any sharp object can theoretically be used to make a drypoint, as long as it can be used to carve lines into metal. Dentistry tools, nails, and metal files can all be used to produce drypoints. However, certain types of needles are created specifically for drypoints:
- Diamond-tipped needles carve easily through any metal and never need sharpening, but they are expensive.
- Carbide-tipped steel needles can also be used to great effect, and are cheaper than diamond-tipped needles, but they need frequent sharpening to maintain a sharp point. Steel needles were traditionally used.
Printing processes
Printing is essentially the same as for the other intaglio techniques, but extra care is taken to preserve the burr. After the image is finished, or at least ready to proof, the artist applies ink to the plate with a dauber. Too much pressure will flatten the burrs and ruin the image. Once the plate is completely covered with a thin layer, a small scraper or card is gently used to remove excess ink. Then, a
A dampened paper may be produced by soaking a piece of printing paper, or any other papers that are slightly water-absorbent but are not water soluble, into a tray of water for about 5 minutes. Afterwards, the paper is laid onto a towel and dabbed dry. The moist paper allows ink to be drawn out from the burred lines of the plate when it is pressed into it.
Hand-wiping techniques
Drypoint wiping techniques vary slightly from other intaglio techniques. Less pressure is applied to achieve desirable lines, because the burrs forming the image are more fragile than etched or engraved lines, but also because the ink rests on the plate surface, instead of pressed down into indentations. Also, because of the characteristics of the way the burrs catch ink, the direction of the wiping matters. Ink tends to pile up in the lee of the burr during the application of the ink and wiping with the tarlatan, so if the printer wipes in the direction of the lines with their hand, they may remove most of the ink, leaving a light gray line. However, if they wipe perpendicularly to the line, they can actually increase the pile of ink on the other side of the line, darkening the printed line.
References
- John Ross, The Complete Printmaker, (Free Press, 1990), 82–88.
- Carol Wax, The Mezzotint: History and Technique (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1990)
External links
- Prints & People: A Social History of Printed Pictures, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on drypoint
Arne Bendik Sjur, one of the greatest drypoint printmakers from Europe. Visit http://drypoint.no