Drypoint
In drypoint, a copper or zinc plate serves as a canvas to which an artist directly applies a sharp pointed steel needle. There is no acid or ground. The gouge made by the artist’s needle forms a rough edge called a burr where it cuts into the plate. When prints are “pulled” from the plate, the burr produces a very soft line in the print, a primary characteristic of drypoints. As more prints are pulled, the burr wears down and the print loses its crispness. With some modifications, a drypoint plate produces a maximum of 50 to 75 copies. From amongst a given edition of a drypoint etching the lower numbers will be the most prized as they will have been pulled before the burr began to wear down.
p4A.com editorial staff, updated November 2014.
