The artist works directly on the copper or zinc plate with a sharp steel or gemstone needle, which leaves two burrs, one on either side of a scratched line The depth of the line is controlled by the artist's muscle and experience It is the ink caught in the burrs that forms the design and gives a wonderful velvet tone to the line
An intaglio process using a needle-like tool to scratch a design into a printing plate The burrs that are left on both sides of the line also form a part of the finished design, giving dry point print a softer line quality than an engraving
An intaglio process in which drawing directly on the underground plate is done with a steel or diamond point The plate is then inked, wiped, and printed Dry point gives a velvety line owing to the burr raised by the cut This soft line is suitable only to small editions because the burr breaks down with repeated printing top
engraving consisting of an intaglio plate engraved with a sharp steel needle a print produced by dry point engraving