Etching occurs through a chemical reaction, and thus requires a metal plate to be prepared with an acid-resistant material called a ground. A design is drawn on the ground with an etching needle to expose the metal. When immersed in an acidic bath, exposed areas of the plate are dissolved in a process called biting.

Drypoint closely relates to engraving except the carving creates a burr—metallic ridges flanking the artist's marks. The burrs hold ink and create a subtle feathering on initial prints, but they subsequently wear down after several passes through a printing press.

Aquatint is an etching process used to achieve subtle shifts between light and dark. Aquatinting is the application of fine particles of resin onto all or part of a plate. The plate is heated to melt the resin and is then exposed to acid. The acid eats into the metal around the particles, creating a granular pattern.

One of the most important works in the Dallas Museum of Art's collections is Piet Mondrian's Place de la Concorde (1938-1943). It was a gift in 1982 of the James H. and Lillian Clark Foundation to the Foundation for the Arts Collection at the Museum.

The Diquís culture flourished on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast from 700 to 1530 CE.