Photogravure is a special case of intaglio printing, in which marks are made into the surface of a printing matrix (by scratching or etching) to create an image positive. Ink is pressed into the removed area, and wiped from the top surface, and paper is pressed into the recesses under high pressure. Photogravure is a century-and-a-half old technique that leverages the intaglio process to reproduce photographs.
Traditionally, the printing matrix was made from a polished copper plate, but since the 1970’s printmakers have moved to using industrial photopolymers that are easier and safer to work with, and much more durable than malleable metals.
Useful Resources
Don’s Direct-to-Plate Photogravure Process (a work in progress)
18 Jul 2026
Calibrating the Sun
Photopolymer plates are fun but intimidating things. These are a thin steel sheet coated with a soft film of UV-sensitive monomers. When exposed to a strong UV light (precisely 365nm for the curious), those monomers link up together to form an ultra-hard polymers. The remaining un-linked monomers