About the Aquatint Process:

An aquatint etching is an Intaglio process. “Intaglio” refers to a print made from a plate(s) with recesses in it. The recesses are caused by the artist’s marks which are eaten into the surface of the plate by acid. The recessed areas hold ink for printing.About the Aquatint Process: An aquatint etching is an Intaglio process. “Intaglio” refers to a print made from a plate(s) with recesses in it. The recesses are caused by the artist’s marks which are eaten into the surface of the plate by acid. The recessed areas hold ink for printing.

Etching was developed in the 16th century as an alternative to engraving. Aquatint is a technique used for creating a painterly and watercolor-like quality. Aquatint prints areoriginal limited editions because the plates are made by the artist’s hand specifically for the purpose of creating the print.

Each print is pulled by hand on an etching press and the plates are re-inked with every print. Color proofing continues until one print is pulled with which the artist is completely satisfied. This print is then signed by the artist and designated as a bon a tirer (or b.a.t., meaning “good to pull”). All the prints in the edition match the b.a.t.. Once the edition has been printed, the artist signs and numbers the prints and the plates are then destroyed.

Techniques used in making the plates for Robert Strifiolino’s etchings are a combination of aquatint, scraped aquatint, soft ground and drypoint. Striffolino collaborated with master printers Ann Hirsh and Scott Greene of Hirsh Greene Press to produce “June Pond, ” using a complicated process which took many months to complete.