In his prints, John Sloan used a traditional etching technique, practiced by artists like Francisco de Goya, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Honoré Daumier that follows a strict methodological process. The intricate carving method limits the color palette to a single hue, enhancing the contrast between light and shadow in prints.
Below is a step-by-step explanation of the etching process used by artists like John Sloan:
1: Cover the metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground.
2. Scratch off the waxy layer to expose the metal plate to indicate where the artist wants a line to appear in the final image.
3. Dip the plate in an acid bath that dissolves the exposed metal. This process will create indented lines on the plate that can be seen after the remaining acid-resistant ground is cleared.
4.Pour the ink onto the plate, and then wipe off the surface while leaving ink in the depressed lines.
5. Put the plate through a printing press. In this step, the ink in the etched lines is transferred onto paper. This printing process can be repeated multiple times, creating hundreds of prints.
Click below to view a video from the Museum of Modern Art that gives an overview of several intaglio printing methods:
