The Thames and Hudson Manual of Etching and Engraving

-- for print-makers and print-lovers alike. This book covers every aspect of printmaking, from preparing a plate for grounding to preparing it for storage after the edition has been printed. It discusses the many kinds of etching, including lift and aquatint processes, up to relief etching. Soft ground gets more attention here than most authors give it, including various aspects of using paper as a tool to transfer or create an image. Chamberlain also covers the techniques where the toolmarks create the image directly: engraving, drypoint, crivee, and collage-like "metal graphic." Mezzotint, so unlike the other processes, gets separate discussion of its own. Chamberlain is especially helpful in offering alternatives to the laborious rocker ground, including aquatint and abrasive techniques. Later chapters address the basics of paper, ink, and press. Of course, there's that moment when all the pieces come together and print is pulled. Then, discuss covers some of the techniques and problems of drying the finished print - preserving the embossing that comes from intaglio process, while avoiding the cockling that carelessly dried paper is subject to. This won't stand by itself as a how-to guide for a beginning engraver or etcher. It is helpful, though, in summarizing the many ways to make marks on the plate, including some unusual transfer techniques. This helps the print-lover as well. I find myself intriuged by the marks in an image as much as by the image itself. Knowing the means used to convert the artist's imagination into reality only heightens my enjoyment. No book on intaglio process covers everything, but this book certainly carries its weight in describing both common and unusual techniques. I recommend it highly. //wiredweird