Introduction to Drypoint
PRINTMAKING FACTSHEET
By Susan Yeates
In this factsheet we will talk through a simple way to create drypoint
prints (using a perspex plate) that can be printed from home without a printing press!
About Drypoint
Drypoint is a form of intaglio printmaking, (from the
Italian word intaglione meaning to engrave or cut) and
is the opposite to relief printing in that the ‘relief’
areas of the plate do not print. Intaglio printing
includes etching, engraving and aquatint and generally
involves the use of a metal plate that is cut into in
some way. In intaglio printmaking, the areas that you
draw will print and it is therefore a positive process.
Drypoint is the simplest of intaglio methods as it
involves directly scratching into a metal or perspex plate using a strong, sharp metal point.
There are no acids or complex processes involved and it is therefore another great technique
for beginners. It is a technique that involves a certain level of drawing and generally
produces quite linear images. However, with a little practice it is easy to build up areas of
tone by crosshatching as you would with a drawing.
The plates however have a limited life for the purposes of printing editions but can produce
very striking prints. You can also use various other materials for the plates including perspex
(plastic), glass, laminated cardboard as well as several different types of metal such as
aluminium, copper and zinc.
Tools and Materials
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Perspex plate
Ink (oil based etching ink)
Palette knife and piece of card
Drypoint needle
Rags or cloth to rub inks from plate
Paper
Wooden spoon or handle of etching needle for
printing
Cotton bud for wiping fine detail
Image or sketch to work from
Vegetable oil for cleaning up
Plastic gloves and apron
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Choose a piece of perspex appropriate for your image. Make sure that the edges are not sharp
and are properly bevelled and that the plate is clean and not greasy. Don’t forget to peel the
protective plastic off a new perspex sheet before starting!
2. Make sure that you have your photo to work from as a guide. Place your image / drawing
underneath the plate (Perspex). When you first start trying out drypoint it is a good idea to use
Perspex as it is fairly cheap and you can trace onto the Perspex directly from your drawing
underneath, making it easier to get your image onto the plate.
3. Using the drypoint needle begin to scratch into the plate, following your drawing. Where you
make your marks the ink will be held so that when you print, these marks will come out as printed
lines. In this way it is very similar to just drawing on a sheet of paper.
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4. To create tonal or dark areas you can cross-hatch and scratch into the surface in criss-crossed
ways.
5. The ink will collect in the scratch marks that you have made but will also collect in the raised
‘burrs’ on the plate that are formed at either side of your scratches when you make them. To
check that you are scratching deep enough into the plate run your finger very gently over the top
of the scratched plate. If you can feel the marks you have made then the scratching is deep
enough.
6. Once you have finished making your marks on the plate, spread out onto a printing surface /
glass slab a small amount of the ink that you wish to use. Then transfer the ink from the surface
over your plate, creating a thin, even layer of ink using a small piece of card.
7. Once the plate is totally covered, use a cloth and begin
to remove the excess ink from the plate. The areas where
you have scratched will hold the ink and where you have
left it untouched, the ink needs to be wiped away
completely (i.e. will be white or the colour of your paper).
Use a cotton bud to clear white detail in areas and if you
wipe too much off in any places just dab a little more ink
on and start wiping off again!
8. When you can see your image clearly and there is good
contract between the dark and light areas place the plate
onto the centre of a backing sheet of paper. Draw around
the plate with a pencil to register it on the paper. Then place your printing paper over the top
lining it up with the edges of the backing paper. The image will therefore print in the correct
place. (MAKE SURE YOU USE DAMP PRINTING PAPER I.E. SOAK THE PAPER FOR AT
LEAST 10 MINUTES IN COLD WATER BEFORE USING TO PRINT WITH. BLOT THE PAPER
THOROUGHLY BEFORE USING TO REMOVE ANY EXCESS WATER. YOU MILL NEED TO
MAKE SURE YOU USE A THICK PAPER THAT WITHSTANDS THIS TYPE OF PRINTING).
9. Place a piece of cartridge paper of the top of your printing paper so you do not damage it and
then rub the back of the paper very firmly with a wooden spoon (OR THE HANDLE OF THE
ETCHING NEEDLE) to transfer the ink onto the paper. Make sure not to move the paper as you do
so.
10. Once the image is transferred properly, lift the paper from the plate and leave it to dry.
11. You can then either ink up the plate again and take another print or clean the plate with
vegetable oil to remove the ink. The plate will produce several editions but after a while the raised
‘burrs’ to the sides of your marks will wear down and the ink will not hold in the same ‘crisp’ way.
Perspex will usually last for 4-6 good prints before you either need to re-scratch the image or
start a new plate entirely.
12. Drypoint lends itself to printing using a single colour but it is possible to print several colours
by placing areas of extra colour directly on the plate when you ink it up or by creating several
plates and overprinting the second colour over the first. With practice the technique can become
fairly complex and the further you advance and experiment, the more interesting the results you
will produce.
Happy Printing!
Susan Yeates
Magenta Sky
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