An old engraving of men in a print workshop at a copper-plate press in the 1800s. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. Copper plate printing (or intaglio) is printing and printmaking where the image is cut into a surface and this incised line or area holds the ink. Normally, copper sheets (plates) are used as a surface. To print a plate, ink is applied (shown at the rear). The plates are wiped clean of residual ink. Dampened paper is fed through the flatbed, heavy rolling press and the ink is squeezed on to the paper from the plate's ink-filled grooves.
An old engraving of men in a print workshop at a copper-plate press in the 1800s. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. Copper plate printing (or intaglio) is printing and printmaking where the image or words are cut into a surface and this incised line or area holds the ink. Normally, copper (or more recently zinc) sheets (plates) are used as a surface or matrix, and the incisions are created by etching, engraving, drypoint, aquatint or mezzotint. After the decline of the main relief technique of woodcut around 1550, the intaglio techniques dominated printmaking until the mid-19th century. To print an intaglio plate, ink or inks are painted, wiped or dabbed into the recessed lines (shown at the rear) and then the plates are wiped clean of residual ink on the flat surface. Dampened paper will usually be fed against the plate, covered by a blanket, so when run through the flatbed rolling press – under high pressure from the heavy roller – the ink is squeezed on to the paper from the plate's ink-filled grooves.
Size: 2953px × 2879px
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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