Aquatint Fansite

Some of you may think that “aquatint etching” is a verb alone. And you’d be right; but it’s also a noun, referring to a specific thing. You can engage in aquatint etching, and in the end what do you create? An aquatint etching. Fascinating, no?

But it might actually help to know what this thing is, whether you’re talking a verb or a noun. Aquatint etching is a form of printmaking whereby half tones can be created on a surface via etching. By using aquatint in the process the prints look so photorealistic that they’re almost indistinguishable from painted mediums (to the untrained eye, at least). The original process was invented by Jean-Baptise LePrince between 1765 and 1769, and has since been used by such notable artists as Francisco de Goya.

Pick up an aquatint picture sometime. You’ll find the similarities to true painting quite amazing.