I attended a workshop to learn the art of engraving with the Maniera nera or mezzotinto technique, at the Bottega del Tintoretto in Venice, with the master Imre Kéri. With the mezzotint technique, an image is created on a copper plate that has been completely scratched with a special tool, which will then create the black color in print.
The tools of mezzotint
With special tools, the image is created by “flattening” the surface of the plate; the smoother it is, the more white it appears in print. This way, you work in reverse, obtaining the lighter tones from the dark. The result is prints with deep blacks and a gradual transition to whites, with real nuances that are very difficult to obtain with engraving.
The copper plate is first worked with a special crescent-shaped tool, called “berceau“, which gives a knurling to the entire surface. The more carefully it is worked, the more intense the blacks will be.
We then proceed with various tools (burnishers, awls, files) to create the drawing on the plate, flattening the light areas as much as possible. The flatter the areas of the plate exposed to light, the more intense the whites will be.
As the areas of the plate are flattened, the drawing in print emerges more and more intense. It’s like revealing a painting, pulling it out of the shadows.
I really liked this engraving technique especially because it allows for particularly suggestive.
