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Like etching, aquatint is an intaglio printmaking technique, but is used to create tonal effects rather than lines. Intaglio refers to printing and printmaking techniques in which the image is incised into a surface, and the incised line or sunken area holds the ink.
Simply so, what is the main purpose of a mezzotint?
Mezzotint is a printmaking process of the intaglio family, technically a drypoint method. It was the first tonal method to be used, enabling half-tones to be produced without using line- or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple.
Also question is, are Mezzotints valuable?
They can generally be divided into two classes: those made from metal printing plates and those made from stones. From metal plates we get engravings, etchings, aquatint, and mezzotints. Consequently, the resulting prints were expensive in their day and are rare and valuable in ours.
Printmaking differs from simple photographic reproduction as printmakers use specialist techniques to design and make original prints. Hand-drawn and digital designs or images are transferred on a wide range of surfaces, from paper and glass to wood, plastics, metal and textiles.