Definition
An etching technique that creates areas of tone rather than lines by using acid-resistant granules on a metal plate, producing effects similar to watercolor washes when printed. The method allows for subtle gradations of gray and atmospheric effects.
Etymology
From Italian 'acquatinta' combining 'acqua' (water) and 'tinta' (tint), referring to the watercolor-like washes the technique produces. Developed in the 1760s by Jean-Baptiste Le Prince, it became popular for reproducing the tonal effects of drawings and paintings.
Kelly Says
Aquatint solved printmaking's biggest limitation - how to create soft tones and shadows instead of just harsh lines! Goya mastered this technique to create those haunting, atmospheric prints in his 'Disasters of War' series, proving that prints could be just as emotionally powerful as paintings through subtle gradations of light and shadow.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
የውሃ ቀለም
yeh-weh-hah keh-lehm
ARالعربية
نقش مائي
nahkh mah-ee
CACatalà
aiguatinta
ah-gwah-tint-ah
CSČeština
akvatinta
ah-kwah-tint-ah
DADansk
akvatint
ah-kwah-tint
DEDeutsch
Aquatinta
ah-kwah-tint-ah
ELΕλληνικά
υδρόχρωμα
ee-droh-kroh-mah
ESEspañol
aguatinta
ah-gwah-teen-tah
FISuomi
akvarelli
ah-kwah-reh-lee
FRFrançais
aquatinte
ah-kwah-tint
HAHA
ruwa ruwa
roo-wah roo-wah
HEעברית
אקווטינט
ah-kwah-tint
HIहिन्दी
जल रंग
jahl rang
HUMagyar
akvarell
ah-kwah-rehl
IDBahasa Indonesia
akwatint
ah-kwah-tint
IGIG
mmiri agba
m-mee-ree ah-gbah
ITItaliano
acquatinta
ah-kwah-tint-ah
JA日本語
アクアチント
ah-kwah-chin-toh
KO한국어
아쿠아틴트
ah-kwah-tin-teu
MSBahasa Melayu
akwatint
ah-kwah-tint
NLNederlands
aquatint
ah-kwah-tint
NONorsk
akvatint
ah-kwah-tint
PAPA
ਪਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਰੰਗ
pah-nee dah rang
PLPolski
akwatinta
ah-kwah-tint-ah
PTPortuguês
aquatinta
ah-kwah-tint-ah
RORomână
acvatintă
ah-kwah-tint-ah
RUРусский
акватинта
ah-kwah-tint-ah
SVSvenska
akvarell
ah-kwah-rehl
SWKiswahili
rangi ya maji
rah-nee yah mah-jee
TAதமிழ்
நீர் வர்ணம்
nee-r var-nam
TEతెలుగు
నీటి రంగు
nee-tee rang-oo
THไทย
สีแอ็กวา
see aek-wah
TLTL
tubig na kulay
too-beeg nah koo-lay
TRTürkçe
akvatint
ahk-vah-tint
UKУкраїнська
акватинта
ah-kwah-tint-ah
URاردو
پانی کا رنگ
pah-nee kah rang
VITiếng Việt
nước màu
noo-ohk mah-oo
YOYO
omi awon
oh-mee ah-won
ZUZU
amanzi okwakha
ah-mahn-zee oh-kwah-khah