Engraving
is an art technique,
in which it is possible to print multiple copies of an
image from
an array.
In order to make an
engraving it is necessary a support (matrix) in which the
drawing will be made. This media is inked and
the image is printed on the paper. The
engraving is a multiple, that is to say that
one can
draw several copies of the same drawing.
The
engravings have artistic value
because they are
totally original
and made by hand.
Array
types:
Woodcutting is the oldest
technique for
producing engravings and its principles are very simple. The
artist removes from a
flat wooden surface (the
matrix),
with the aid of cutting tools and
notches (gouges) the parts
that he does
not want to
have color in
the engraving.
After applying paint to the surface, place a paper over
it.
When applying pressure (with a press) on that sheet the image is
transferred to
the paper.
It is a
process very much like a stamp.
Woodcutting by Manuel Pereira da Silva
Woodcutting by Manuel Pereira da Silva
Wood matrix
Linoleogravure is a technique that
resembles the carving of woodcut, however, instead of wood, the matrix
is made of synthetic material - rubber
plates,
called "linoleum". This
technique is more
recent than woodcut due to the material of its matrix, and was much
used by modern artists,
like Picasso for
example.
Calcogravure or calcography
is the engraving process
done in a metal
matrix.
The engraving in metal
began to
be used in
Europe in XV century. The matrices can be made from copper, zinc, aluminium
or brass plates. These are recorded with a direct
incision or by the use of acid baths. Etching, water-ink, dry-tip are the most usual techniques. The die receives
ink and a
press is used to
transfer the image onto the
paper.
Metal Matrix
Calcogravure by Manuel Pereira da Silva
Metal Matrix
Calcogravure by Manuel Pereira da Silva
The
technique of
the burin has its name in function of the
tool used in the engraving, the burin. The prints of the
engravings of
this technique have dense lines, but without marks of the
burrs.
The handling of
the burin allows the artist to control
and regularity of
the trait and, consequently, of the cut.
The dry tip
gets its name depending on
the tool used,
the dry tip of engraving. It is the
method that most closely approximates the
gesture of
drawing,
given the artist's freedom to drive the
tool.
The act of
scratching the sheet with metal tips results in prints with quite thin
lines because of
the burrs that are
raised during the engraving.
The black
way,
also called half-ink or mezzotint, has its
origin in
the need for
engravers to
represent tonal
variations of
paintings on the plates. His invention is
attributed to Ludwig
von Siegen (1609-1680),
around 1642.
His method is to
create black tones with the instrument 'berceau', and to create tonal gradations from black to white with
scraper and burner tools. David Lucas (1802 - 1881),
English engraver, made beautiful reproductions of works of the painter John Constable (1776 - 1837),
with this technique.
The metal engraving, designed for the
reproduction of prints,
has its origin with the European goldsmiths of XV century that developed
the technique of
the burin to
trait. In
the early days of
this period, great artists
excelled in
the study of metal engraving, in the case of Albrecht Durer (1471 - 1528), son of a goldsmith, who had
extraordinary mastery of
the burin, Martin
Schongauer (1448 -
1491), Lucas Van Leyden - 1533), Antonio Pollaiuolo (1433 - 1498), Andrea Mantegna (1471
- 1506), among others.
Among the
techniques of
indirect recording I highlight the
strong, (from
the Latin aqua-fortis), so called because of the nitric acid
used in
this technique. The procedure is to protect the sheet, usually
copper,
brass or zinc, with a layer of varnish made with wax
heating, Judeia
bitumen and solvent, which applied on the plate creates a protective
layer. For
removing the lacquer from the areas to be etched
with acid, a
blunt or rounded end metal tip is used to prevent the
matrix from
being scratched.
Then the plate is taken to the
acid bath where the recording of the matrix takes place.
Rembrandt H. Van Rijn (1606 - 1669),
is considered one
of the greatest water-forers of all time, but there are other
artists of
great relevance that must be mentioned; case of Giovanni Battista
Piranesi (1720 - 1778),
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696 - 1770), Giovanni Antonio Canal, common Il
Canaletto (1697 - 1768), Giorgio Morandi (1890 - 1964), Pablo Picasso others.
The Lithography technique is based on the chemical
principle that water and fat repel each other. The images are drawn with
greasy material
on limestone and with the
application of
acid on it, the image is recorded. Like metal engraving, this
technique also requires
a press to
transfer to
the paper the image engraved on the
stone.
Screenprinting begins to be applied more frequently
by artists in
the second half of the twentieth century. As with
the techniques described above, Screen
Printing also features a variety of image recording
techniques. One of them is the photographic process recording. Images are
recorded on the polyester canvas and with the manual use of a squeegee with the
ink the image is transferred to the paper.
