Farmyard, plate 5 from Regiunculae et Villae Aliquot Ducatus Brabantiae

surface prep

The copper plate must be polished to a mirror finish to ensure clean line work. Source 1 emphasizes that the tool (needle) gives character to the work and that pure line quality is essential in etching. The plate is then coated with etching ground, which is heated to adhere. This preparation is critical because, as Source 1 notes, etching is a line-art where the needle produces pure line whose quality may reach any degree of excellence.

underdrawing

In etching, the 'underdrawing' is the act of scratching the design into the ground with a needle. Source 1 advises that for a beginning pure landscape, one should take subjects previously used and compose freely. The artist should focus on the 'felt thing' of the form rather than just the seen outline, aligning with the mass-drawing concept where the flat appearance on the retina is considered (Source 3). The needle work should be decisive, as the clustering of lines inevitably produces tone and suggests massing (Source 1).

underpainting

Not applicable. Etching is a printmaking process, not a painting process. However, the concept of 'tone' is achieved through the density of lines and the wiping of the plate during printing, rather than underpainting (Source 1).

Line etching

Using the needle to draw pure lines. Source 1 states that the needle is a tool for drawing lines and that tone and shading should not be attempted with them directly, but rather through the clustering of lines.

Mass drawing

Reducing complicated appearances to a few simple masses. This is the natural means of expression when working with a medium that requires simplification, such as etching (Source 3).

Tonal gradation through wiping

Developing rich gradations by wiping the etching plate in the process of printing. This allows the artist to use tone, as many masters from Rembrandt down have done (Source 1).