Drypoint

Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking technique in which a sharp instrument, such as a needle or burin, is drawn across a polished metal plate—typically copper or zinc—to create an incised line. Unlike etching, no acid is used. The act of scratching displaces metal and raises a burr along the line, which retains ink and prints as a soft, velvety ridge around the incision.

In making a drypoint print, the artist ink fills the incised line and the burr. The surface is then wiped to leave ink only in the lines and on the burr. Damp paper is pressed into contact with the inked plate using a printing press, transferring the ink from the grooves.

The resulting line has a distinctive fuzzy edge and a rich tonal quality, especially when the burr is prominent. The burr is subject to wear with each impression, so drypoint lines tend to become lighter and blurrier as they are printed; artists often limit edition size or refresh the burr by re-cutting or reworking the plate.

Materials and variations: Plates are commonly copper or zinc, sometimes steel or aluminum. Drypoint is frequently used alone for expressive lines or combined with other techniques such as aquatint or mezzotint to add tonal areas.

History and context: Drypoint has been used since the early history of intaglio printmaking and remained popular into the 18th and 19th centuries. It is associated with figures such as Rembrandt and later 19th-century artists like Whistler, who exploited the technique’s tactile line and immediacy.