What is Intaglio painting?

Answer 1

An intaglio plate, more commonly referred to as an etching plate in the United States, is a metal plate (usually zinc or copper) which has been coated with a resistant substance, draw upon with a sharp stylus (breaking through the coating), and then etched in acid to create lines within the plate. Ink is then forced into the grooves within the plate; under pressure the plate will release the ink unto dampened paper, creating an "etching" or "intaglio" print. Side note - roughly translated, "intaglio" is Italian for "within the surface."

Answer 2

In intaglio printing methods, the area of the image to be printed is recessed into the surface of the printing plate and the recessed areas are filled with ink. The incised image may be etched, engraved with chemicals or tools. Intaglio printing is used for printing U.S. paper currency and for other fine art printmaking. The image to be printed is incised into the plates, the incisions filled with ink, and excess ink wiped from the plates. Heavy pressure is applied to transfer the ink from the plates to the paper, leaving the surface slightly raised and the back side slightly indented. Other forms of printing that use the intaglio process include engraving and gravure.

Answer 3

Intaglio painting is a type of painting based on the printing methods where surfaces have images incised into them so that they can hold the paint. This could be thought of as a reverse relief painting.