What kind of printing is characterized by incised lines being the printed areas?

Intaglio printing is characterized by incised lines forming the printed areas, where the design is carved into a surface, typically a metal plate. In the intaglio process, ink is applied to the entire plate and then wiped off the surface, leaving ink only in the incised areas. When pressure is applied during the printing process, the paper is pressed into these grooves to capture the ink, resulting in a detailed and often textured image.

This method allows for a wide range of line quality and depth, making it a favorite among artists for its capability to produce rich, nuanced images. The incised lines can produce varying tonal qualities and intricate details, defining the unique look of intaglio prints. Other printing techniques mentioned have different processes: relief printing involves raised areas of a surface, screen printing uses a mesh screen to transfer ink, and offset printing relies on transferring ink from a plate to a rubber blanket to paper, none of which feature incised lines as the primary method of creating an image.