Mezzotint

Mezzotint isprinting process ofintaglio familiy,whichsurface ofmetal plateroughened evenly;imagethen brought out by smoothingsurface, creatingimage by working from darklight.

Plates can be mechanically roughened, butclassical way isrub fine metal filings oversurface withpieceglass;finerfilings,smallergrain ofsurface. Mezzotintknown forluxurious qualityits tones: first, because an evenly, finely roughened surface holdslotink, allowing deep solid colorsbe printed; secondly becauseprocesssmoothingtexture withburin allows fine gradationstonebe developed.