Atelier 2 Staff
Zinc Plate Etching or Etching is a mechanical process used to create printed art. Recently, a growing number of printmakers have been using this method and rightfully so.
What is Zinc Plate Etching?
Zinc Plate Etching is a mainly mechanical process used to create printed art from deep-etched or embossed zinc plates. Here, a zinc plate is first painted with a design or incised with an etching needle and then etched completely by acid under a controlled setting, where the outcome (image) is exactly what’s to be anticipated by the makers.
This reaction then successfully forms the image that holds the ink to be later printed on the material with the design.
The scratched zinc plate combined with the paper is run through the etching press which presses the inked design on the plate onto the paper.
Although there are quite a few methods used in printmaking and etching specifically, the zinc plate method is probably the most preferred form to print the image onto the plate.
Typically, the etchings are black due to the colour of ink used which is then printed onto white paper.
How is it done?
Zinc Preparation & Choice:
As the name suggests, the most important aspect of this method would be the zinc plate and the potential it holds. As the printmakers choose a zinc plate, the first thing they do is polish the plate with a light layer of ammonia and whiting to remove the thin layer of grease on it.
Next, the plates are filed down to ensure that they aren’t sharp enough to cut through the paper in the printing process.
Printing, Pressing & Transferring:
Post cleaning and filing, the plate is then painted with asphalt or an alternate mixture to prevent corrosion when stored for longer periods of time. After it’s been left out to dry overnight, any remaining product on the plate must be removed before moving forward to prevent extraneous indention or ablation during the process.
A design or image is drawn onto a Mylar usually with a Number 2 pencil, considering its ease to trace images onto it. Now the fresh plate is put into the press bed along with the Mylar (drawing side down and taped up). Then the press is run with a light pressure which then transfers the drawing (reversed) from the Mylar onto the plate.
Etching:
After the drawing's been transferred, the plate is prepared to be etched with nitric acid.
Then an etching needle is used to go over the details of the drawing while also scraping through the asphalt. When the plate is now put into the acid bath, it will expose the etched lines clearly replicating the work from that of the usual pen and ink. If the details do not come out satisfactory, the plate can be further etched to give a deeper and darker line when printed.
After the details have been etched out on the plate, any remaining asphalt is removed with kerosene and alcohol.
Printing:
Moving to the final step, printing, the plate is covered with ink, maybe scraped with a scraper or a residual piece of cardboard. This is done thoroughly to ensure that all corners of the etching are covered in ink. Excess ink is removed with a piece of clothing or rag leaving only the etched parts with color. Now the plate is put on the press bed.
The printing paper should be altered to a size that it leaves at least 3 inches of margin outside of the image.
For the final stage, the paper is dampened with a water bath (the printing comes out more distinguishable on damp paper). The excess water is wrung out by pressing the print paper between blotting papers.
The paper is then put through the press with the inked plate and then set aside to dry.
After a few days of drying, the prints are likely to come out in waves due to the dampening process. To straighten the print, it can be pressed between glass or even dry-mounted. It is normal to expect a slight wave to remain.
Dr Seema Sharma Shah during the process of printing Dashaswamegha through the press.
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