Starting dates: every 2 weeks
Duration: 2 Weeks
Lessons: you can choose 12 or 20 or 40 lessons in 2 weeks. Max. 24 weeks.
Italian language: on all 6 (monthly) ability levels
Dates | Prices

 

With our engraving course you can discover and practice all the engraving techniques:

• Acquaforte / Etching
• Puntasecca / Drypoint
• Ceramolle / Softground
• Xilografia / Woodcut

"Acquaforte" is the ancient Italian term which refers to the nitric acid which is still used today to etch a copper or zinc plate.

 

The plate is covered with a layer of wax which the artist removes by drawing with a fine point, and it is then immersed in the acid which "bites" in the places where the wax has been removed.

 

The lines obtained in this way are darker or lighter according to the time of immersion, and when printed give the effect of shading desired.

 

The plate is then placed on the eching press, and covered with a dampened sheet of paper. When the plate is ready for printingit is inked and cleaned with a gauze cloth called tarlatan to remove excess ink.

 

The etching press is composed of two rollers between chich the bed or metal sheet with the paper on top of it slides, and with pressure forces the damp paper into the inked lines of the etching plate, thus transfering the ink to the paper.

 

This procedure (inking, cleaning, and printing) is repeated for each copy made.

 

Naturally the passage of the plate through the press tends eventually to weaken the etched lines, and this limits the number of copies possible in an edition.

 

Finally, when dry, each copy of the etching is numbered and signed by the artist.