Zincography

Zincography is a printing process that uses zinc plates to reproduce images on paper. It encompasses both traditional intaglio-style methods, in which the image is engraved or etched into a zinc plate to create recessed lines that hold ink, and photomechanical methods, where a photographic image is transferred to a zinc plate coated with a light-sensitive material and developed into a printing surface.

In the traditional approach, a zinc plate is prepared and engraved or etched to form incised lines or a textured surface. The plate is then inked and wiped, leaving ink only in the recesses, and run through a press to transfer the image to paper. Zinc offered a cheaper alternative to copper and could yield fine detail, but zinc plates wear more quickly, limiting long print runs.

The photomechanical form, often called photozincography, developed in the 19th century, uses a photosensitive coating on zinc (such as bichromated gelatin or a diazo layer). An image is exposed onto the coating, and development creates a relief or other structure that can retain ink. This method facilitated faster reproduction of photographs and drawings for books, magazines, and maps, expanding the reach of printed illustrations.

Applications and history: zincography played a significant role in reproducible illustration during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, offering an intermediate step between hand engraving and modern offset processes. It declined with the rise of offset lithography and more durable, efficient photo-offset methods, though it left an important mark in the history of printmaking.

See also: photogravure, lithography, intaglio, electrotyping.