Drypoint, Etching & Engraving - What's the Difference?
- Making To Make Happy
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
Have you come across these three terms floating around together? They can often get mixed up and it’s easy to assume they're basically the same thing. However, they produce different printmaking results - I mean, why would they exist if they didn’t? - so if you are starting to explore printmaking, here's your speedy guide for knowing which is which.
Drypoint, etching and engraving are intaglio printmaking techniques, which means the ink lives in the lines rather than on top of the plate surface. You scratch or bite into a surface, fill those grooves with ink, wipe the surface clean, and press paper into it to pull the ink out. It’s super clever! But how you make those marks is where the three techniques spiral off in different directions…
Drypoint - Scratchy, Fuzzy, Accessible
Drypoint is the most accessible of the three, which is great news if your printmaking adventures are just beginning. You scratch directly into a surface using a sharp needle or etching tool. Traditionally a metal plate is used as the surface, but you can use plastic (like acrylic sheets that you can buy, or flat pieces of recycled food containers) to make a start at home. The process of scratching is very like drawing, except with a bit more pressure to the strokes.
What makes drypoint special is something called the burr. This is a tiny curl of displaced material that's thrown up on either side of your scratched line. That burr holds extra ink and gives drypoint prints their glorious, slightly fuzzy, velvety quality.
However, note that the burr is delicate. It wears down with each print pulled. For at-home newbie printmakers who are simply exploring the technique, this isn’t much of a concern, as they’re unlikely to need lots of prints at the best quality. However, professional printmakers are aware of this because it means the prints they can take will be naturally limited. Some printmakers love this though because it makes early prints extra precious.
Best for: Expressive, sketchy mark-making. Brilliant for beginners wanting to try intaglio at home without specialist equipment.
Etching - Bitey, Sciencey, Precise
Etching is where chemistry becomes part of the process - ooh, interesting! Instead of physically scratching marks into a plate itself, you coat the metal plate (usually zinc or copper) in a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Then you draw through this coating with a needle, before submerging the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, eating away the lines while the ground protects the rest.
The longer you leave the plate in the acid, the deeper and darker the lines will be. This gives etching incredible tonal range and a crispness that's hard to achieve with drypoint. It's a more involved process and requires handling acid safely, so it's typically done in a printmaking studio. However, some printmakers now use gentler alternatives like saline solution electrolysis (Edinburgh Etch) or ferric chloride, which are more manageable at home.
Best for: Detailed, tonal work with fine lines. Great if you love a process!
Engraving - Skilled, Traditional, Refined
Engraving is one of the oldest printmaking techniques, with roots going back to the 15th century. Like drypoint, it's done by hand directly into a metal plate, but with a very different tool: a burin (a small, V-shaped cutting tool) that you push forward through the metal, removing a clean sliver as you go.
There's no burr with engraving so lines are sharp, clean, and precise. Varying the pressure and angle of the burin creates lines that swell and taper, giving engravings a distinctive look.
Best for: Precise, refined line work. For those who love a challenge and want to dive deep into a traditional craft.
As you can see, all three have their own printmaking personality! Which one feels like it could be your next best art buddy?
Thanks for reading,
Keep making happy,
Gemma 💛
Comments