atint

Atint is a tonal technique used in intaglio printmaking to create shaded, non-lineal areas on a metal plate. It produces soft, velvety tonal values by applying a resist ground that yields a finely granular surface, which, when etched, holds ink in a way that creates gradations rather than sharp lines.

Technique and effect: A rosin or resin ground is dusted onto the plate and fixed by heat. The plate is then bitten in acid; the granular ground protects portions of the metal while the exposed areas are etched, forming a textured field that prints as tone. The density and character of the tone depend on grain size, how the ground is applied, the duration of the bite, and whether the ground is layered or reworked. Atint can be used alone or in combination with line etching or aquatint to build a range of tonal values from light to dark, yielding a tonal wash-like effect in prints.

Relationship to aquatint: Atint is closely related to aquatint and is often discussed in relation to tonal methods in intaglio. Some art-historical sources treat atint as a specific type of granular ground or as an early stage of aquatint, while others distinguish the terms by technique and texture. The terminology has varied across periods and schools.

See also: Etching, Aquatint, Soft-ground etching, Intaglio.