Etching is a popular technique used in various forms of art, including printmaking, microfabrication, and glass etching. The process involves using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface, creating a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In traditional pure etching, a metal plate is covered with a waxy ground which is resistant to acid. The artist then scratches off the ground with an etching needle where they want a line to appear in the finished piece, exposing the bare metal. The plate is then dipped in a bath of acid, known as the mordant or etcha...
The Art Media Etching
Etching is a popular technique used in various forms of art, including printmaking, microfabrication, and glass etching. The process involves using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface, creating a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In traditional pure etching, a metal plate is covered with a waxy ground which is resistant to acid. The artist then scratches off the ground with an etching needle where they want a line to appear in the finished piece, exposing the bare metal. The plate is then dipped in a bath of acid, known as the mordant or etchant, or has acid washed over it. The acid "bites" into the metal to a depth depending on time and acid strength, leaving behind the drawing (as carved into the wax) on the metal plate.
Printmaking
In printmaking, etching is one of the most important techniques for old master prints, and remains in wide use today. The process can be repeated many times; typically several hundred impressions (copies) could be printed before the plate shows much sign of wear. The work on the plate can be added to or repaired by re-waxing and further etching; such an etching (plate) may have been used in more than one state.
The Guitar Player, a painting by Anders Leonard Zorn, is an example of etching in printmaking. The Art Institute of Chicago holds this piece, which was created using the etching technique.
Microfabrication Etching
In modern technology, etching is used in microfabrication to chemically remove layers from the surface of a wafer during manufacturing. It is a critically important process module in fabrication, and every wafer undergoes many etching steps before it is complete. For many etch steps, part of the wafer is protected from the etchant by a "masking" material which resists etching. In some cases, the masking material is a photoresist which has been patterned using photolithography. Other situations require a more durable mask, such as silicon nitride.
Glass Etching
Glass etching, or "French embossing", is a popular technique developed during the mid-1800s that is still widely used in both residential and commercial spaces today. Glass etching comprises the techniques of creating art on the surface of glass by applying acidic, caustic, or abrasive substances. Traditionally this is done after the glass is blown or cast, although mold-etching has replaced some forms of surface etching. The removal of minute amounts of glass causes the characteristic rough surface and translucent quality of frosted glass.
Ernest Stephen Lumsden, a distinguished painter, noted etcher and authority on etching, is known for his work in glass etching. He studied at Reading Art School from 1889 under Frank Morley Fletcher and briefly at the Académie Julian in Paris in 1903. In 1908 he accepted an appointment at the Edinburgh College of Art, where he taught etching until his death in 1948.
Joseph Holston, a contemporary American painter and printmaker, is also known for his work in glass etching. He was raised in a family of six children, in the Washington, D.C., area. Holston's media include painting, etching, silk screen, and collage.
Conclusion
Etching is a versatile technique used in various forms of art, from traditional printmaking to modern technology. Its ability to create intricate and detailed works of art has made it a popular choice for artists and manufacturers alike. Whether used to create a reverse image on paper or to frost the surface of glass, etching remains an important technique in the world of art and technology.