Bonus: Tone Etching Tips

Tone Etching Tips

When etching, hold the craft knife at an angle closer to the drawing.

There are various techniques for etching screen tone, which have been compiled on these pages. The basic technique Etch using for holding the the point craft-knife is of the illustrated in the blade. figure to the right.

Basic Etching Techniques

a 22.5° angle, blurring the screen tone sheet's borders. When using crosshatching, note the direction of the dots running crosswise. For tone where the dots lie at a 45' angle, etch at 22.5' .

Anoth er method consists of scratch ing dot by dot by wielding

Use a ta pping o ion to etch the e. hil e this may ime, be patient eep w orking.

When cutting, hold the craft knife in the same manner that

Fffp!

The key point in etching is to note the direction in which the screen tone dots are aligned and to etch at

Creating a Bokashi (Blurring) Effect

the cra ft knife in a tapping motion.

you would a pencil

-: :::· g the knife as to the right - : ,• s you to make fine, :- =-ed etches.

Etch the tone lightly. Avoid appl ying pressure. • , m time ime, use 2 strai ght ge to : ·eate s: aight, - ean :; ched lines sing a en cil-type ::: aft knife. • ry using a sand eraser as w ell. Sand erasers allow you to create smooth etchings. • Use the edge of the blade to etch clouds

t

Place a thumbtack in the center of the target area when etching a flash effect. Use fine movements when

etching with the side of the blade . Sand Eraser

Use the corner to rub the screen tone.

Cut the end off the sand eraser and use the sharp corners formed to rub the screen tone. This will allow you to do fine, detailed etching with the eraser.