Aquatint

Aquatint is a variant of etching, it’s used to achieve tonal effects on a printing plate. Where the engraving technique uses a needle to make lines that print color, aquatint uses powdered rosin to create a tonal effect. Aquatint works by applying a gentle mist of particles over the surface of a plate. When the dust has settled down and stuck to the surface it works as a resistance to the acid and will allow you to create a variety of tones according to its density and time etched. The rosin is acid resistant and typically adhered to the plate by controlled heating.