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How does relief etching differ from regular etching?
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Printmaking
Woman Bathing, color aquatint with drypoint by Mary Cassatt, 1890–91; in the Art Institute of Chicago.
The primary difference between relief etching and regular etching lies in which part of the plate carries the ink to the paper.
- Regular Etching: This is an intaglio process where the design is incised into a metal plate using acid. The ink is held within these recessed lines or grooves, and the surface of the plate is wiped clean before printing.12
- Relief Etching: In this process, the background areas of the plate are etched away, leaving the design standing in relief. The ink is applied to the raised surface of the plate, similar to relief printing methods like woodcuts.34
While regular etching focuses on printing from depressions, relief etching is used to print from the surface. Because relief etching involves biting away large areas of the plate, it requires a tougher protective ground or varnish to withstand the longer exposure to acid. Like regular etching, relief etching can be performed in stages to achieve different levels or depths on the plate.315