Model-driven Virtual Mezzotint Techniques

Abstract

Mezzotint is a traditional printing technique that is categorized into copperplate printing where an entire plate surface is roughened by some steel tools. In this paper the authors propose a method to realize two mezzotint techniques by replacing some physical models for the plate making process. The main characteristic of mezzotint is that roughening, scraping, and burnishing the plate will result on a gradation of color from black to white. The paraboloidal incising model and the sweeped paraboloidal model are applied to roughen the plate. Reducing and smoothing operations are introduced to scrape and burnish the plate. By some experiments the authors prove the proposed methods to synthesize copperplate print images.