Intaglio Printing
A method of printing from metallic printing plates where printing elements are located below spacing ones. The design is cut, scratched, or etched into the printing plate. The printing process is carried out using high-viscosity inks. The ink fills in the recessed areas of the printing plate and is transferred to the print-receiving material under high pressure (about 1000 kg / cm2). The paper substrate is significantly deformed.
Special features of the print:
- the thick ink layer produces a tactile relief;
- substrate deformation: concave on the reverse side of the page in the image area;
- ink spreads at the edges of a print.
a
b
c
d
Fig. 1. Great Britain. Passport issued in 2010:
a — page spread (pages 2-3). Paper substrate; b — the same. Page 3. Intaglio prints (text) at the top of the page; c — the same. Zoomed fragment. Intaglio print. The arrows show ink spreads at the edges of the print. Oblique light; d — the same. Reverse side of the print. The arrows show substrate deformation in the direction of the front side of the print. Mirrored word OBSERVATIONS. Oblique light