About etching
The etching is an ancient process that has been used for centuries. It began in 1520 AD nearly 500 years ago. It is an old method of printmaking. In the etching process, photographs made on top of paper through a metal plate.
These methods make a metal plate-
In the beginning, a metal plate, often copper (but nowadays also used zinc), is covered with acid resistance wax. Then the artist makes very fine lines on that metal. These lines are made with the help of an etching needle. After that, this plate is put into nitric acid, which eats the sliced parts. After this, the wax applied taken off the top of the metal surface. Then ink inserted into those lines, and the ink is removed from the rest of the surface. At the end, in the last step, a paper is attached to this plate. After this, the picture put on paper through pressure.
Engraving
Engraving is an image printing process, just like etching. Engraving is also nearly 500 years old today. With the help of this process, photographs were made on wood and metals in ancient and today’s times. In this process, an artist emerges by cutting metal wood or rubber plates with an iron cutter. An excellent kind of cutter is used in the process of engraving. This cutter is called a burin. Even today, the process of engraving used in many places. With the help of engraving, works like coins making, artifacts on metal, and names of companies on metal are done.
Etching and engraving have many similarities, but these are two different processes. Where in etching a structure is made first by fine lines on top of a metal plate, and then with the help of that structure, image is formed. On the other hand, in engraving, artworks are made on top of metal and wood using cutters. No particular type of chemical is used in engraving, whereas on the other hand, many kinds of chemicals and waxes are used in etching. While etching is a long and complicated process, engraving is a bit easier. Once in etching, multiple prints can be made from a metal plate (say hundreds of prints), but in engraving, on the other hand, you can use a metal or wooden sheet only once. Today, etching is done with the help of metal plates based on the old principles, whereas old cutters not used for engraving.