What is soft ground in printmaking?
Daniel Rodriguez
Published Feb 14, 2026
What is soft ground in printmaking?
Soft Ground: A ground is a coating applied to a plates to protect it from the action of the mordant used in etching. Soft ground, is an acid resistant coating made of asphaltum, rosin, beeswax, and tallow. The addition of tallow keeps the ground from drying to a hard surface.
What is soft ground in art?
A method of etching that produces prints characterized by softness of line or a grainy texture. The waxy ground used to coat the plate is softer and stickier than in normal etching, so that it adheres to anything pressed into it. Over this ground is laid a sheet of paper on which the artist draws with a pencil.
What is soft ground?
Definition of soft ground 1 : a mixture of ordinary etching ground usually with tallow or grease that is used chiefly to obtain textural lines and effects on the plate by pressing cloth or similar material into the ground or by drawing with a pencil on a piece of paper laid over it.
What is a soft ground in electrical?
A soft ground is a connection to ground through a resistance high enough to limit DC current flow to less than 5 mA. The resistance needed to achieve a soft ground is dependent upon voltage levels and AC frequencies that could be contacted by personnel near the ground.
What is the difference between soft ground and firm ground football boots?
The main difference between firm and soft ground boots is the soleplate. Firm ground boots feature plastic studs in all shapes and sizes, whereas modern soft ground soleplates feature a mixed stud configuration and interchangeable metal studs.
What are the two main types of printmaking?
The two types of printmaking are relief printing and intaglio. Relief printing is done by outlining an image on a surface, and then carving along the outline. The artist then applies the raised areas with ink, to be pressed on to a surface.
What does firm ground mean?
Definition of ‘on firm ground’ 1. in a safe situation. 2. firmly supported by facts or evidence.
Is grass a soft or firm ground?
If we play in natural grass, most of the times it will be a firm ground surface. This happens because it is easier for organizers to maintain this type of surface than a soft ground field.
What are 3 types of electrical grounding?
These three systems are: Ungrounded Systems. Resistance Grounded Systems. Solidly Grounded Systems.
How do grounds work?
A grounding wire gives an appliance or electrical device a safe way to discharge excess electricity. An electrical circuit relies on both positive and negative electricity. A grounding wire takes the electricity that has built up during the malfunction and sends it outside of your home back into the ground.
Are soft ground boots worth it?
When playing on grass, firm ground boots will be absolutely fine most of the time. However, having a pair of soft ground boots in your locker is essential, since a firm ground sole-plate will completely clog up with mud in such conditions, and you could quickly do yourself a nasty injury.
How does soft-ground etching work?
The ground adheres to the paper wherever the pencil passes, leaving the metal exposed in… …revive the neglected medium of soft-ground etching, in which the etching ground is melted into and mixed with tallow, producing the effect of lines drawn with a soft pencil or chalk.
What is soft ground made out of?
Soft ground generally is made up of the following components; two parts Egyptian asphaltum, two parts beeswax, and one part resin plus a certain amount of vegetable or animal fat (tallow). After a plate is coated in soft ground and dried the tallow causes the ground to remain slightly soft to touch.
Is plate sanding necessary for hard ground printing?
Most recently, a safer waterproofing product from Australia (see below) became popular amongst printmakers as a near perfect hard ground; with less health risks and noxious fumes, giving great etched lines, and plate sanding is not a necessity.
How do you draw on the ground with a pencil?
Using a hard pencil, ball point pen, litho crayon or hard drawing implement, draw onto the exposed surface of the paper. This will cause the ground under the paper in contact with it through the pressure of the point of the implement, to adhere the under side of the paper.