A technical dictionary of printmaking, André
Béguin.
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"Printmaking dictionary"
Calliper
A tool used to correct lines on metal plates. Various types of callipers exist
but the basic tool has two relatively long arms (either straight or curved)
ending in a tip not unlike a drypoint needle. If a calliper is to he used on a
very large plate the arms are usually rather long. The needle-like ends and the
arms of the calliper are used to locate the exact position of the line or area to
be corrected on the front and on the back of the plate. The artist places one arm
of the calliper on the area of the image that is to be corrected and with the
other arm (whose tip or needle is sharper than the first) he marks the back of
the area in question. The plate is then placed on a steel anvil* and the marked
area is knocked up with a hammer.[* engraving
].
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