Aquatint
Intaglio technique producing tonal areas via acid-resistant resin ground.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Aquatint is a type of intaglio printmaking that falls under the etching family, but instead of creating lines, it produces areas of tone. Because of this, it has typically been paired with etching to achieve both linework and shaded tones. Historically, it has also been used for color printing, either by using multiple plates inked in different colors or by making black-and-white prints that were later hand-colored with watercolor. In the art trade, the term "color etching" can be ambiguous, but it usually refers to one of these two methods.
The technique has been in steady use since the late 1700s, with its peak popularity between roughly 1770 and 1830, when it served both fine art and decorative purposes. After 1830, it declined as lithography and other methods became more common, though artists have revived it periodically ever since. Aquatint plates wear out relatively quickly and are harder to rework than other intaglio plates. For example, many of Goya’s plates were reprinted too many times after his death, resulting in very poor impressions. Famous works using aquatint include Goya’s major series, many plates from John James Audubon’s *The Birds of America* (with hand-applied color), and Mary Cassatt’s color prints made from multiple plates.
**Technique**
In intaglio printmaking—such as engraving and etching—the artist creates marks on a plate (for aquatint, usually copper or zinc) that can hold ink. The plate is inked all over, then wiped clean so ink remains only in the marks. It is then run through a printing press with paper, and strong pressure forces the paper into the marks, transferring the ink. This process is repeated to produce multiple copies, or impressions.
Like etching, aquatint uses acid (a mordant) to bite into the metal plate. But where etching uses a needle to scratch through an acid-resistant resist to create lines, aquatint uses powdered rosin (a resin) to achieve tonal effects. The rosin is acid-resistant and is typically fixed to the plate by controlled heating; the grains themselves print white, while the areas around them print black. The tonal variation is controlled by how long the acid is allowed to act over large areas, so the image is built up in broad sections. Before printing, the rosin is washed off the plate.
Other substances besides rosin have been used, such as bitumen (asphalt). The key requirements are that t
- field
- Printmaking
- technique_type
- Intaglio
- peak_period
- c. 1770–1830
- common_medium
- Copper or zinc plates
- key_mordant
- Acid (mordant)
- typical_ground
- Powdered rosin (resin)
Lore & Background
Aquatint uses powdered rosin (resin) adhered to a metal plate by heating, creating an acid-resistant ground. Where the grains are, the plate prints white, with black areas around. Tonal variation is controlled by the level of mordant exposure over large areas. The rosin is washed off before printing. Other substances such as bitumen have been used. The shallowness of the acid-bitten areas accounts for the limited life of the plates, as depressions gradually flatten out. Aquatint may be the only technique used on a plate, but is very often combined with linear etching, especially for outlines, figures, and buildings.
Reader's Guide
Aquatint's significance lies in its ability to produce tonal areas in intaglio printmaking, a departure from line-based etching. It was most widely used between about 1770 and 1830, for both artistic prints and decorative ones, and was especially popular for reproducing watercolors. After about 1830 it lost ground to lithography and other techniques, though there have been periodic revivals. Among the most famous prints using aquatint are Goya's major series, many of John James Audubon's The Birds of America (with hand-added color), and Mary Cassatt's color prints using several plates. The technique wears out plates relatively quickly and is less easily reworked than other intaglio plates; many of Goya's plates were reprinted too often posthumously, giving very poor impressions. Aquatint has been used historically to print in color, both by printing with multiple plates and by hand-coloring monochrome prints.
Did You Know?
- Aquatint uses powdered rosin (resin) adhered to a metal plate by heating to create an acid-resistant ground.
- The technique was most widely used between about 1770 and 1830.
- Many of Goya's plates were reprinted too often posthumously, giving very poor impressions.
- Mary Cassatt printed color aquatints using several plates, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aquatint?
Aquatint is an intaglio printmaking method that produces soft areas of tone rather than discrete lines, placing it within the broader etching family. It is most often combined with line etching so a single print can carry both crisp drawing and graded shading.
How does the Aquatint process actually work?
Powdered rosin is sprinkled onto a copper or zinc plate and fused to form an acid-resistant ground. Acid (the mordant) then bites into the exposed metal, leaving a pitted, textured surface that traps ink at varying depths and prints as a tonal wash.
What materials do Aquatint artists typically use?
The standard toolkit includes a copper or zinc plate, powdered rosin as the ground, and an acid mordant for biting. These three components are the core of the technique.
When was Aquatint most popular?
The technique enjoyed its peak period of artistic use roughly between 1770 and 1830, when it became a go-to method for reproducing painterly effects in print.
Can Aquatint be used to make color prints?
Yes. Artists have achieved color either by preparing multiple plates, each inked in a separate hue, or by pulling a black-and-white Aquatint and then hand-coloring the sheet with watercolor. In the art trade this is sometimes called 'color etching,' though the term can be ambiguous.
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