Stipple

Etched imitations of chalk drawings of the human figure, called engravings in stipple, have a very soft effect, but are inferior to engraving. In this variety the whole subject is executed in dots without strokes on the etching-ground, and these dots are bitten in with aquafortis. The dots may be harmonized with a little hammer, in which case the work is called opus mallei. In the method known as mezzo-tin to, a dark barb or ground is raised uniformly by means of a toothed tool; and the design being traced, the light parts are scraped off from the plate by fitting instruments, according to the effect required. (See Engraving.)