Dry-point (Please see Summer school for dates & costs)

Drypoint is a printing technique drawing directly onto the plate using a carbon steel point (dry point needle) forming soft subtle lines, deep dark velvety lines (burrs) or energetic, aggressive lines making dry-point a characterful and expressive drawing medium.

The aim of this course is to learn the basic technique of dry-point. As with etching, this technique also comes under intaglio printmaking, meaning to print from incised lines - the difference being the lines are not etched with acid, and no wax grounds are used, the metal plate is worked on directly using a carbon steel point (dry-point needle).

The depth of the line determines the amount of ink it will hold; a very soft line will print with some subtlety, but a very deep line pressing very hard will give you a rich dark velvety line with a burr. Rubbing black ink into the lines as you are working out your drawing will help you to see what depth of lines you need before the plate is ready to do the first proof. About 3 proofs is usually enough to get the plate right to do an edition.