Mezzotinto

About

"Mezzotint" is a form of engraving in which the surface of a metal plate is evenly roughened. The artist then creates an image by smoothing out parts of it with a scraper. The smoother the parts the less ink they will hold resulting in tones that vary between black and white. Only a few copies can be printed before the quality deteriorates because the shallow pits in the plate soon clog up. The word mezzotint comes from the Italian mezzotinto – half-tinted. In contrast to the primary colours of Who's Afraid of Red Yellow and Blue, Mezzotinto investigates the softer gradations of tone between black and white. Mezzotinto was written in Wellington in early 2007.