In etching, the artist covers a metal plate (usually copper) with a resinous substance (or "ground") that is acid-resistant. The artist then "draws" on the ground with a sharp needle. Wherever the needle is applied the ground is removed, so that in an acid bath those exposed lines are eaten away, or etched.

A form of etching, aquatint is so called because of its ability to produce tones reminiscent of watercolor washes. A copper plate is sprinkled with rosin dust, then heated to adhere the rosin to the plate. The melted rosin serves as an acid-resistant ground wherever it has adhered.

The engraving tool, called a burin, has a V- or U-shaped edge. With it the artist gouges away strips of the plate surface, the resulting grooves holding the ink. By altering the pressure of the burin the engraver can vary the depth and thickness of the grooves, achieving subtle changes in the tonality of the print.

In drypoint, the artist "draws" directly on a copper plate with a sharp stylus. No etching is involved. The point of the stylus creates a "burr" of copper on either side as it is scored through the metal. In the printing process, the burr holds additional ink, giving the finished print a velvety richness unique to this method.

Mezzotint is among the most physically demanding mediums in art, one tried and quickly abandoned as "too difficult," for example, by the great printmaker M.C. Escher.

A more or less finely toothed wheel on a shaft, the roulette is a tool used to create indentations as it is rolled on the plate.  The indentations will hold ink and may be used to create dotted lines or surface texture.

An ingenious process dependent on the immiscibility of oil and water.  Using a greasy crayon, the artist draws directly on the smoothed surface of a stone (or specially prepared metal plate), after which the design is fixed on the stone with a chemical solution.  The surface is then dampened and, with a roller, inked.

In monotype, the artist paints on a smooth surface such as copper or plexiglass, then transfers the image directly to paper by means of a press or by hand-rubbing.

À la Poupée is a process of printing multiple colors from a single plate: colors are painted directly onto the plate before printing, making each impression technically a monoprint, with uniquely varied coloring.