The soft waist

Chisel, dry point and black manner

The soft waist was invented by a Florentine engraver, Maso Finiguerra. The technique gained popularity with the advent of printing and the use of paper. It is used in particular for the creation of banknotes and postage stamps.

Intaglio originally defined chisel engraving, but by extension designates the various processes of intaglio engraving on metal. It is opposed to the technique of intaglio engraving.

THE BURIN

Chiseling is the most common technique associated with intaglio. After preparing the plate, the engraver starts the engraving process at burin : first the main lines are drawn, then the small strokes for halftones. Light is particularly important and it is necessary to work in a subdued space to see the cuts darker than they really are. Once the patterns have been made, the plate is heated and the ink is applied to the pad. To obtain sharp contrasts, it is necessary to gently wipe the plate several times with tarlatan (loosely woven cotton). When the plate is perfectly clean, it is placed on the press and printing begins. The printed paper will then have to dry for about 12 hours, carefully protected by tissue paper.

DRY POINT

The dry point is similar to the chisel principle, but gives radically different results. Dürer was one of the first artists to use it significantly, followed by Rembrandt.

On a metal plate, a dry point is used to engrave lines. The point can be made of various materials, such as steel or ceramic. The cuts in the metal are the result of scratches and scrapes in the tip, giving the line a much more nervous appearance. The action of the tip on the metal produces raised marks around the sizes called " barbes ". These can be removed for a crisper, more rigid line, or retained for a more velvety appearance. The number of prints must be limited because of the presence of the beards, which are very fragile. Apart from this detail, the printing process is the same as for the burin.

THE DARK WAY

Particularly popular in the England of XVIIIth century, the black way allows to obtain a greyscale print with a wide variety of shades. That said, the complexity of the process quickly made it obsolete in the history of engraving. The plate is first grained with small holes, using a cradle (a half-cylinder bristling with points, fixed on a handle).

The grain must be even and deep to retain the ink properly. It takes about ten hours to obtain a suitable working surface on a 20 x 30 cm plate. The drawing is transferred in pencil to the prepared plate. A scraper and a burnisher are used to work the grain, raking or flattening the surface of the plate. This relief work determines the shades of the final print. The plate is inked after the plate has been slightly heated to fluidize the ink. Once wiped off, the ink is placed on the press, covered with the damp paper that will receive the print and with swaddling cloths so as not to damage the proof.

After a test print, the plate can be reworked to receive some corrections. Once satisfied, the engraver proceeds to print the reference print, called " bon to tirer ".