ENGRAVING PROCESS ON COPPER PLATE (ETCHING)

The objective of the following pictures is to illustrate the main successive operations leading to an engraving realization. In this process all the steps are important, including the humblest ones, because the final result depends on each of them.This technical is exacting, and tolerates no errors...Henri Landier perfectly masters it...
All the numerous process steps have been reduced to 10 main operations for a better understanding ( 1 drawing = 1 "état" = 1 print).
1-cleaning/drying of copper plate -----------------------------------(subject face)
2-pad varnishing
3-cleaning/drying -------------------------------------------------- -(back face)
4-protective varnish
5-sketch carving with a scriber, each of the lines ------------------- (subject face)
---exposing copper.
6-biting of exposed copper by immersion into an acid bath
7-Rinse/drying
8-varnish removing/cleaning.
--The subject appears in hollow in the copper plate.
9-copper plate inking/polishing.
--Ink stays only in the drawing hollowed lines.
10-arm-press printing and cleaning/drying of copper plate

 

1-Cleaning and drying ---------------------------------------(subject face)

  - -

1st cleaning - - - - - - - - - - - polishing - - - - - - - - - - - - - degreasing

 2-Pad varnishing

- -
gas-torch pad varnishing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - - - - - - copper plate after varnishing

3-Cleaning/drying -----------------------------(back face)
4-Protective varnishing/Drying
5-Carving : drawing on the varnished plate---------(subject face)
---with a carver's point.
---Each drawing line removes the varnish.
---Copper is carved more or less deeply.

6-Biting : acid etches away the copper not protected by
----------varnish , and reproduces the drawing.

7-Rinse/drying
8-Varnish removing/cleaning

acid etched away exposed copper lines

9-Inking : colour application (ink) on copper plate.

- -

10-Arm-press printing : paper and copper plate go into a rolling -mill
---(about 300 kg/cm2)

The heavy arm-press wheel
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The magic moment !..

 

 

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