This course is for students interested in developing painterly and drawn images using copper plate etching techniques. Copper is a soft, sensitive and responsive metal that is able to capture all the graphic and tonal subtleties of drawing and painting. Students will discover new forms of expression by learning how to build an image through drawing and layering. Intaglio techniques, including hard ground, soft ground, spit-bite, white ground, sugar lift, and open bite will be covered. All processes will be demonstrated in class and applied through self-initiated etching projects. In addition, copper can be steel faced to protect the plate, keep the colors clean, and make the plate easier to wipe.