Printing is a working process based on a few fixed elements, but such a huge quantity of variables in every single step, makes it complex and difficult to achieve, much more difficult than we imagine.
The plates to be engraved and a very heavy roller and paper, of course, are essential. Now they use steel or zinc plates and the standing press roller, which is very heavy and driven by a hand wheel, to make the last step of the printing possible.
This primitive printing technique can be defined as “dry point”. In this case the plates are engraved directly with whatever instrument is necessary to reach the effect required and later coloured, cleaned, superimposed on a sheet of paper and passed through the press which allows the impression of the image on it.
With the introduction of the step into an acid bath, printing underwent an evolution.
In this case the plate, protected by a film of a particular paint, is engraved and, where the acid penetrates and corrodes, it gives the indelible drawing etched on it. We can use pins needles, nails, pens, gravers ...any instrument whatever... The plate will be cleaned, coloured according to the artistic desire, superimposed on the types of paper we require and passed through the press. This is the “etching” technique.
But there is also "acquatint" that, as a printing method, no longer produces the neat and precise lines as in etching but, through a quite laborious process, achieves areas of colour thanks to various periods of immersion in an acid solution.
Another methodology is that defined as "soft wax". In this case the steel plate is protected by a soft film (also based on beeswax) which is not directly engraved but has a sheet of paper superimposed on it and upon which the drawing is reproduced. The final result appearing on the print is the identical effect of the drawing.