A MEZZOTINT IS CREATED BY THE ARTIST ROUGHENING A COPPER PLATE WITH A SPIKED TOOL CALLED A ROCKER. IF THE PLATE WAS INKED AND PRINTED AT THIS STAGE THE PAPER WOULD PRINT AS A SOLID BLACK BLOCK. THE ARTIST CREATES THE IMAGE BY FILING DOWN THE ROUGHENED AREAS BY VARING DEGREES, WHICH WILL NOW RETAIN LESS OR NO INK THUS CREATING LIGHTER AREAS OF TONE. THE PLATE IS THEN INKED AND SENT TO THE PRESS.
