National Print Museum of Spain. El Puig (Valencia)
Museo Nacional de la Imprenta y de las Artes Gráficas de España. El Puig (Valencia)

Founded by Ricardo J. Vicent, with the collaboration of Vicent García Editores

ENGRAVING

COMPUTERS

BINDING

There are two main procedures for engraving:

Xylography: Is a printing technique using a wooden board. The text or image to be reproduced is engraved on the board, it is then covered in ink and the board is pressed onto the paper, thus transferring the image.

There were xylographic books before the invention of the Gutenberg movable type. They consisted in using one wooden plate or board per page and were usually used for books mainly consisting of images and not text. After the invention of movable metal types, xylographic engraving was used temporarily to print initials, decorated capitals or drawings.

Chalcography: Uses the technique of engraving on a metal plate. Texts and images are engraved on the metal, which is then covered in ink and applied to the paper. Results depend on the engraving method. The main processes are engraving with burin; drypoint using a steel, agate or diamond graver; mezzotint; aquatint; and etching (with acid).