




Burin plate engraving

Let's get back to our team of engravers and see how copper-plate printing is used today. Creative Art, like other engravers is the sector, tried to transfer the use of the buring for decorating guns to printing plates (copper, nickel silver, steel). The process starts from a previously prepared drawing that is then transferred to a plate. First the ornamental frame is made with a dry bit and then the actual engraving. Its effects can be controlled on a regular basis with a print proof that can be carried out whenever considered necessary to check the drawing. I would like to point out that the engraving must be reversed on the plate, like in a mirror. In other words, it should be possible to see and read (in case of names) the engraving correctly by observing the plate in a mirror.

In reproductions, spaces are placed in the intersection of the signs to enhance the effectiveness of the chiaroscuro. The so-called "mix points" will be added in the white spaces to soften the parts involved. To ensure that marks are uniform from the beginning to the end, they must be made again starting from the opposite side, from which the first run will be made. The burin can be used to exert varying degrees of pressure, removing more or less material (metal). A proper technique can be used to create very fine drawings: just look at the results and the burin plate engraving techniques on today's banknotes.