Dry Point Printing

Dry Point Printing is basically etching without using acid or any chemicals. Using a needle or scalpel you can etch into the surface of thick acetate and, with inks, print an image.

The process:

• Engrave your image with a needle or scalpel, using cross-hatching or line techniques for shading or decoration.
• Lay down some newspaper to avoid mess and use a blob on coloured ink (oil-based) with a blob of the expander to thin it out. The blobs should be no bigger than a 2 pence coin.
• Rub the ink into the image on the acetate, pressing directly into the grooves to push as much ink in as possible. Clear up any images or excess ink with scrap newspaper.
• Experiment with the paper you use by leaving them to soak in water for ten minutes. Or use dry paper.
  
• Lay your acetate on the print press and the paper on top and roll through the print press once or twice, depending on how close to the top you have put your acetate.