Drypoint is the simplest form of intaglio printing – a form of printing that requires the artist to scratch into a surface, and push ink into this surface for printing. Drypoint is a process of scratching lines into a material, usually soft metal or plastic.

Drypoints are commonly made on Perspex or a thin coated card, i.e. PVA onto mount board; or on soft metals such as zinc or copper. Tools can range from proper Drypoint needles – a tapering metal needle, some come with a diamond tip, and a wooden handle; to a dental teeth cleaning needle.

Drypoint is simple, in that it does not require chemicals. However, it is challenging because the act of scratching, or displacing the base material require force, and this force often contorts the line. 

The line that is created is often blurred because the base material is pushed to form a small channel, rather than etching where the metal is removed. Where the metal is pushed sideward, a small wave like form is created. The ink is held both in the channel and within the wave top creating a velvety quality to the printed line.  Each time the Drypoint plate is printed, the line is squashed, thus the Drypoint plate is limited in how many can be printed.

As with all Intaglio prints, once the image has been created, ink is first rolled onto the plate then pushed into the lines, the excess is wiped off and the plate is put through a press – a machine that rolls paper and plate together creating an original print.