Chalcography: chalcography – from the Greek word
khalkos (copper) – is the technique of engraving on copper. The
matrix is a sheet of copper, steel or zinc that is engraved using either a
burin or a
drypoint.
The incisions on the surface are filled with ink and the relief section is left clean.
The paper is pressed down on the
matrix with a roller to create an impression of the incised image.
Another
chalcographic technique is
etching, in which the
metal sheet is first covered with wax, then the image incised and the entire sheet immersed in nitric acid. The acid corrodes the sections of the sheet where the incision has removed the wax coating.
The rest of the wax is then removed, the sheet inked and the
print taken.