These media dry to form smooth non-printing surfaces and different image building methods can be explored. When a layer is painted on a textured plate, the depth of the pitted area is altered, less ink is held and the printed tone is reduced. Diluted resists will generate a range of soft tones. Layers can be built up until the area prints as a white and in this way vivid whites can be created on steel etching plates. Dramatic linear and painted images can be formed using this technique on mezzotinted,
aquatinted or gessoed plates. Another technique involves applying an even smooth
layer over an entire unworked metal plate. After a few minutes impressions may be made in the layer using feathers, netting, string, fabrics, leaves, etc. When the
Hard resist has been dried it may be drawn into with etching tools. Further layers of resist or other media can be added to alter the image. After printing the resists may
be removed from metal plates with Lascaux Remover and the plate recycled.
