How does Rolf Nesch’s metal graphic method build up a design?

Rolf Nesch’s metal graphic method, a unique approach to printmaking, reverses traditional intaglio techniques by building a design upward rather than incising it into a plate.1

Instead of using tools like an etching needle or graver to carve into a surface, Nesch constructed his designs like a montage. The process involves the following steps:1

• Assembly: The artist cuts out various metal shapes and solders them directly onto the surface of the printing plate.1
• Materials: While metal is primary, Nesch also incorporated other materials such as wood, coloured glass, stones, and plastics to create complex, mosaic-like constructions.21
• Tools: The essential equipment for this method includes shears, wire cutters, and a soldering iron.1
• Printing: Because these plates feature deep relief, they produce heavily embossed prints. Printing these works requires specially prepared presses, as the relief is often too high for standard etching presses and paper.21

This innovative technique allows for a sculptural quality in the final print, often combining these relief elements with more conventional engraved or etched sections.1