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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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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

A similar result in the cross-hatching at the lower left is caused instead by drypoint lines crossing etched lines.

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

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