An artist creates fine lines in etching by using a sharp tool called an etching needle or a burin to scratch lines into a metal plate that has been coated with a waxy ground. The artist carefully removes the ground from the area where they want the fine lines to appear, exposing the metal underneath. The plate is then immersed in an acid bath, which eats away at the exposed metal, creating the fine lines. The longer the plate remains in the acid, the deeper and wider the lines will become. The artist can also control the width and depth of the lines by varying the pressure applied with the etching tool and by using different sizes and shapes of tools. Once the desired lines have been etched into the plate, it can be inked and printed to create the final etching.
