A comprehensive history and how-to treatise on mezzotint engraving, a printmaking technique known for creating lush tonal gradations and dramatic lighting effects Award-winning mezzotint engraver Carol Wax traces the art form's beginnings in 1642, through itsgrowth as a vital British industry for reproducing paintings, to itsdemise after the invention of photography and resurgence as a means oforiginal expression. This newly revised edition explains various meansfor creating dark backgrounds on copper plates and rendering imagesreductively, or in the mezzotint manner. Copious illustrations accompanystep-by-step technical instruction and include prints by practitionersat the forefront of the current mezzotint revival. Includes helpful information on• tools• inks• papers• printing techniques• using mezzotint with othermediums• related engraving and drypoint techniques Additional updates emphasize nontoxic materials and make this bookuseful to artists with diverse experiences and interests.