Glossary of terms for Intaglio Printmaking

Lift Ground - An etching process in which a soluble medium is drawn onto a plate and covered with an acid resistant ground. When the plate is immersed in water, the soluble medium dissolves and separates from the plate, lifting the layer of ground with it. The rest of the plate remains protected by the ground and will not etch when the plate is placed in an acid bath.

Platemark - The indentation made by the edges of intaglio plates as they are pressed into the paper.

Plate Tone - Tone created on an impression by leaving films of ink on the plate during wiping, be it accidental or deliberate.

Press - In an intaglio press a sliding bed passes horizontally between two rollers as the operator turns the wheel. The inked plate is placed faced upwards on the bed of the press, a sheet of dampened paper is placed on top of it, and several blankets are laid over both. As the bed passes between the rollers, the paper is forced into the grooves in the plate and pulls out the ink.

Print - An image produced on paper or another material by placing it in contact with an inked block, plate, collage or stone and applying pressure.

Proof - Refers loosely to any impression of a print; strictly speaking, it refers to those impressions that are printed before the regular edition to test the progress of a print’s development.

Pull - To print an image.

Registration - The alignment of the various plates used in multi plate printing.

State - A particular stage in the development of a work, with any alteration to the printing surface leading to a new state.

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