syväpainomenetelmät

Syväpainomenetelmät, known in English as intaglio printing, is a family of printing techniques where the image is created by incising into a printing plate. The recessed areas hold the ink, which is then transferred to the paper or other substrate under pressure. This contrasts with relief printing, where the ink is applied to the raised surface of the plate.

There are several main types of syväpainomenetelmät. Copperplate engraving is one of the oldest, where a design is cut into a copper plate using a sharp tool called a burin. Etching is another significant method, where a metal plate is covered with a protective coating, and the design is drawn through this coating, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in an acid bath, which bites into the exposed metal, creating recessed lines. Aquatint is a related technique often used in conjunction with etching to create tonal areas rather than just lines. It involves dusting the plate with a granular material, such as resin, which is then heated to adhere to the plate. When the plate is etched, the acid bites around the granules, creating a textured, tonal effect.

Drypoint is similar to engraving but is created with a pointed tool that scrapes into the plate, leaving a raised edge, or "burr," next to the incised line. This burr holds a significant amount of ink, resulting in soft, velvety lines in the print. Mezzotint is a tonal method that starts with roughening the entire surface of a metal plate, creating a dark, inky impression. The artist then works from dark to light, scraping and polishing away the roughened surface to create lighter areas.

Syväpainomenetelmät are known for their ability to produce fine detail and rich, continuous tones. They have historically been used for fine art prints, book illustrations, and banknotes due to their durability and the quality of the resulting prints.