Aquatints

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of print created by etching a metal plate that allows for areas of varied tone and texture
2. An artistic print produced using an acid-etched metal surface treated with a porous resin to achieve shaded effects
3. A printmaking technique involving the application of a textured coating on a metal plate that creates delicate gradations of light and shadow upon printing

Etymology: "Aquatints" is the plural of "aquatint," a printmaking technique in which the image is built up from a fine dusting of resin particles on a metal plate. The word itself was borrowed from Italian "acquatinta," which literally means "dyed water." That name points to the process rather than the print: the plate is bitten by acid around the resin grains, and the resulting tonal effect resembles the wash of diluted ink or watercolour, a soft gradation that the earlier line engraving could not achieve. Note that the technique and its name describe the look of the image, not the appearance of the plate, so the "water" in the word refers to the watery, tinted wash the finished print imitates.

Synonyms: prints