Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How can relief and intaglio methods be combined on one printing plate?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Printmaking
Woman Bathing, color aquatint with drypoint by Mary Cassatt, 1890–91; in the Art Institute of Chicago.
In printmaking, it is possible to combine relief and intaglio methods on a single plate by utilizing the distinct physical characteristics of each technique.1
To achieve this combination, a metal or plastic plate is prepared to feature both recessed areas and raised surfaces. The process follows these steps:1
- Intaglio Inking: First, the plate is inked in the depressions or incisions. This involves rubbing ink into the grooves and wiping the surface clean, which is the standard procedure for intaglio printing.12
- Relief Inking: Once the intaglio ink is set in the recesses, the raised, non-incised areas of the plate are inked using a roller, which is the standard method for relief printing.1
By applying both techniques to the same plate, a printmaker can create complex images that incorporate the bold, surface-level qualities of relief printing alongside the rich, three-dimensional lines characteristic of intaglio processes.12