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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;krispy, post: 774042, member: 19065&quot;]Engraving techniques for prints (image reproduction on paper, works of art on paper, traditional currency, stamps, stocks, bonds, certificates, etc.) is quite different than decorative engraving on arms and other objects. I would have to stress that the two are inherently linked historically in Western arts but that they are much different disciplines and you should explore them separately.</p><p><br /></p><p>Check out some of the traditional processes of hand <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh3jICvdhPM&amp;feature=channel" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh3jICvdhPM&amp;feature=channel" rel="nofollow">Intaglio Print Engraving</a> on YouTube provided by Expert Village. This is by no means an in depth view of the sort of time and skill spent on Security Engraving but you can get an idea of the steps taken to prepare plates, and see some of the tools and materials used in the craft of plate-making. Plate-makers and printers were often separate skill sets as well. </p><p><br /></p><p>There are more videos on engraving by this demonstrator in the &quot;related videos&quot; menu in the right column. Also note that he is working with copper plates, which is typical for fine art printmaking of engraved and intaglio printed images. Copper and zinc plates are typical in the fine arts and are also used in acid etch processes of making an image on a plate for reproduction. Security Engraving is done on <u>much</u> harder steel plates with the same hand burins, usually by tracing a wax transfer outline of the design on the plate to be engraved. Different type of rolled steel are preferable for various uses and stainless steel is not used, mainly due to cost and difficulty of use. Copper was traditionally used because it was cheap, readily available and easier to hammer into flat plates than was steel. Since copper is soft plates wear out under the immense pressure of the press during runs and details get mushy, lines fill in / clog with ink, and stop printing crisp lines. For larger print runs a copper plate can be steel plated with electro-plating techniques which enables the copper plate to last longer. Again copper is choosen by non-security engraving because it&#039;s softer and easier to use, and if kept perfectly polished clean, one can achieve printing transparent and color inks without the plate tarnish effecting the hue of delicate colors. A steel plate is much harder to print color plates with unless exceptionally (machine?) polished due to oxidation.</p><p><br /></p><p>Those videos are good for showing some of the background of this craft.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s another video that is of poor quality but you can see a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA6iIizFPL4" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA6iIizFPL4" rel="nofollow">BEP demo.</a> Notice there is an example steel engraved plate this demonstrator is working with.&nbsp; The History Channel program <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ICXBNynyTU&amp;feature=related" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ICXBNynyTU&amp;feature=related" rel="nofollow">Modern Marvels </a>also delved into a behind the scenes at the Mint and BEP that show you modern operations of printing and minting. The beginning of the video is about coin minting and many of you have likely seen it. On YouTube the episode is posted in about 4 parts of about 5-10 minutes each. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY71cxDZ5tg&amp;feature=related" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY71cxDZ5tg&amp;feature=related" rel="nofollow">Part 4</a> covers the BEP and paper currency, security engraving. DO CHECK THIS OUT IF YOU HAVEN&#039;T SEEN IT BEFORE. :thumb:[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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