Which printmaking technique involves using a metal plate treated with rosin and acid?

The correct answer is aquatint, which is a printmaking technique that indeed involves the use of a metal plate that is treated with rosin and then exposed to acid. In this process, the artist first applies a layer of powdered rosin to the plate and then heats it, causing the rosin to adhere. The plate is then submerged in an acid bath, where the acid eats away at the exposed areas, creating a variety of textures and tonal effects. The result is a print that can produce rich, tonal imagery mimicking watercolor.

Understanding why aquatint is correct also highlights the unique characteristics of printmaking techniques. For instance, mezzotint, while also involving metal plates, employs a different approach where the entire plate is roughened with a tool called a rocker, creating a rich, velvety dark surface. Screen printing, on the other hand, utilizes a stencil and mesh, allowing for bright, bold colors but does not involve acid or oxidation processes. Frottage is an entirely different technique that incorporates textures from natural surfaces and does not utilize metal plates or acids at all.

By exploring these distinctions, it becomes clear how aquatint stands out due to its specific method of creating tonal variations through the interaction of rosin