Question

By applying acid directly onto an aquatint plate with a brush or dropper to get tones is known as:

• A. Salt bite
• B. Sugarbite
• C. Spitbite
• D. Stirrbite

Hint:

The unusual name "Spitbite" is a good mnemonic. It refers to painting with acid, traditionally mixed with spit, to create watercolor-like effects on an etching plate.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Analyze the process described. The technique involves painting acid directly onto an already aquatinted plate to create free-form, painterly tonal areas.
Step 2: Identify the correct term. This technique is called Spitbite. The name originates from the traditional practice of mixing the acid with saliva ({spit}) to control its viscosity and corrosive action, allowing the artist to "paint" with it. Today, gum arabic is often used instead of saliva, but the name remains.