What is Acquaforte?

Acquaforte, meaning “strong water” in Italian, refers to the acid used in the traditional technique of etching images into metal plates. This process allows artists to create detailed and expressive prints by engraving into metal with the help of acid.

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Step-by-Step: The Acquaforte (Etching) Process

1. Preparing the Metal Plate

A thin plate of copper (or sometimes aluminium) is carefully cleaned and polished to create a smooth, even surface.

2. Applying the Ground (Protective Coating)

The plate is coated with a thin layer of acid-resistant wax or varnish, known as the ground. This protects the metal from being bitten by acid.

3. Drawing the Image

Using steel-tipped etching tools, the artist draws directly onto the wax-coated plate. Wherever the tool touches, it removes the protective coating, exposing the bare metal beneath. These exposed lines will later be etched by the acid.

4. Acid Bath (Etching)

The plate is placed in a bath of acid (traditionally nitric acid).

• The acid bites into the exposed metal lines, creating grooves.

• The timing of this step is crucial — longer exposure creates deeper, darker lines, while shorter exposure produces lighter, more delicate lines. This allows the artist to build tone and depth into the image.

5. Cleaning the Plate

After the desired etching depth is achieved, the plate is removed from the acid and cleaned thoroughly, removing all remaining wax and acid residue.

6. Inking the Plate

The entire plate is coated with printing ink, ensuring the ink fills all the etched grooves.

7. Wiping the Surface

The surface of the plate is then carefully wiped clean, leaving ink only in the incised lines. This step ensures a crisp and detailed print.

8. Printing

• A sheet of moist, high-quality printmaking paper is placed on top of the plate.

• Both are run through a high-pressure printing press, which transfers the ink from the etched lines onto the paper.

• The result is a mirror image of the etched drawing.

9. Drying the Print

The print is carefully lifted from the plate and laid flat to dry slowly and evenly, often under weights, to ensure a smooth, finished surface.

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Edition Limits and the Life of a Plate

Etched plates wear down slightly with each printing.

• A copper plate can typically yield up to 50 high-quality prints before detail starts to degrade.

• An aluminium plate is softer and usually allows for only 20 prints.

For this reason, etchings are made in limited editions, and each print is numbered accordingly (e.g., 1/50, 2/50).