How to Make a Copper Engraving Plate

Engraved copper plates can be used to decorate a home.

Engraving was initially developed in the fifteenth century and was a technique often used by goldsmiths. The popularity of engraving rose as an art form and was used on metal plates. The metal plates could be used as decoration or could be covered with ink and pressed on to surfaces to create replications of the engraving. Copper engraving plates were commonly used by printers due to the soft nature of the metal which made the engraving process easier. The plate could be heated, hammered, and polished smooth to be reused over and over again without the necessity of purchasing new materials.

Things You'll Need

• Metal file
• Putz pomade
• Paper towel
• Stoddard solvent
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Burin

Instructions

1. File the edges of the copper plate with a metal file until all the edges are smooth. Wipe the edges of the plate with a paper towel to remove any metal shards that may be adhering to the plate.

2. Rub a corner of a piece of paper towel in the Putz pomade and rub it over the surface of the copper plate. Discard the paper towel.

3. Pour a small amount of Stoddard solvent onto a piece of paper towel. Clean the copper plate using the moistened towel. Continue using new pieces of paper towel moistened with the solvent until all of the pomade is removed.

4. Pour a small amount of isopropyl alcohol onto a piece of paper towel. Clean the copper plate using the moistened towel.

5. Grasp the burin in one hand and apply it to the surface of the copper plate. Push the burin across the plate using your thumb and forefinger as a guide. Use varying amounts of pressure and direction changes to create the engraved design.

6. Wipe the surface of the plate with a paper towel to remove metal shavings during the engraving process.

Tips & Warnings

• When an engraved copper plate is created and used for prints, the engraving must be done in reverse. All areas that you wish the paint to transfer on must be higher than the blank spaces of the engraved plate. Other engraving tools such as etching needles, scrapers, burnishers, scoopers, gravers, roulettes, and hammers can be used in the engraving process to create different effects.

• Do not use your hand to wipe away shavings created during the filing or engraving process. The shavings can embed into the skin and cause injury. Exercise caution when using the solvent and isopropyl alcohol. Avoid inhaling the fumes. Wash any exposed skin which comes in contact with the solvent.

References

• Ketterer Kunst: Copperplate Engraving
• Steve Bartrick Antique Prints & Maps: Information - Printing Methods
• Sewanee: Etching Copper Plates; Rugh Pittenger