One of my favorite methods of printmaking is Dry Point. It is one of the oldest processes for Intaglio Printmaking. Dry Point consists of a series of tiny scratches into a plate to create an image. Now in the world of printmaking for this method you can use a plexiglass plate but when the method first came out you would use copper plates. I personally really like working with plexiglass plates because it is clear, so you can create a drawing of what you would like to print and then put it underneath to scratch into the plate to get it the way you want it.

To achieve the image you want on to your plate you would use almost any printmaking tool that is sharp enough to scratch into the plate. Personally I only use a few tools in order to achieve the look I need. The one I use the most is an etching needle that has a small diamond shaped head that is great for precise lines. Another useful tool that is great to use is called a scraper, it works really well for reducing an area on a plate. It works almost like an eraser in a sense. It manually removes a mark on a plate.

The fun part for me about this process is the way you ink up the plate, its fun to allow yourself to get messy with the ink. It is very simple to do as you just apply a small amount of ink you need onto the plate and spread it around with a spreader. Once you do that you wipe off the excess until very little ink is let and then you just use the size paper you need and put it on the press.