drypoint

American  

[drahy-point] / ˈdraɪˌpɔɪnt /

noun

1. a technique of engraving, especially on copper, in which a sharp-pointed needle is used for producing furrows having a burr that is often retained in order to produce a print characterized by soft, velvety black lines.

2. a print made by this technique.

---

Etymology

Origin of drypoint

First recorded in 1825–35; dry + point

Example Sentences

See Vija Celmins’s expanses of wave-capped oceans, which remain as delicate and ephemeral in drypoint as they are in oil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Verdon Winkler employs multiple techniques, notably drypoint and chine collé, to produce gauzier, almost painterly images in what might be called a rainbow of grays.

From Washington Post • Jul. 7, 2021

They include four oil paintings with a starting bid of $7,500 each, three lithographs with a starting bid at $250, one drypoint, one watercolor and one student oil.

From Washington Times • Feb. 14, 2017

Freepoint is an alternate form of drypoint in which artists draw on a soft surface.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 31, 2016

When used lightly, however, its line is virtually indistinguishable from that of the vertical drypoint needle.

From Rembrandt's Etching Technique: An Example by Morse, Peter