INKING AND PRINTING THE ETCHED PLATE
Etching is an intaglio printmaking process. This means that the ink is held in recesses rather than on the surface of the matrix.
Thick intaglio ink is spread across the surface of the plate in multiple directions to push it into the etched lines. The excess ink is removed from the plate with a squeegee, then the plate is gently wiped with scrim and tissue paper to polish the surface. The plate is now ready for printing.
The image is transferred from the metal plate to dampened paper through an etching press which can generate many tons of pressure. As the plate moves under the roller of the press the dampened paper is pushed into the etched lines and around the edges of the plate. This transfers the ink to the paper and creates the characteristic emboss of an intaglio print.