A soft metal plate, such as a copper plate, engraving tools, paper, black ink, watercolors and a printing press are the basic materials required for engraving painting. If you are making your own, you can use a metal plate with an engraving already done in it, or carve your own image, although this requires a high level of skill. You will also need brushes and sponges to apply the ink and paints while you make the print.
The first step in painting an engraving is to add the black ink to the metal plate so that all the fine lines of the image and any text is defined. Ink is applied very liberally with a sponge to the entire plate until it looks soaked with ink. Next a cloth is used to wipe away the excess ink on top of the plate until ink only remains in the engraved part. Now the artist can apply watercolors to the plate around the engraved outlines of the image. Colors can also be applied to the flat unengraved parts to create backgrounds.
When the ink and watercolors are on the engraved metal plate, the plate is put in a printing press and a damp piece of paper is laid on top. The paper is dampened because the moisture draws the ink out of the cracks of the engraving when it is pressed, and the colors transfer smoothly to the page. The printing press is closed, heavy force and pressure are applied, and the image is transferred from the engraving onto the page. Then the page is hung to dry.
The color may also be added carefully after an engraving is printed, to fill in backgrounds or blank spaces. When the print is dried, watercolor pens can be used to finish any details missed in the printing process. Ink pens can be used to add extra text or a signature to the finished page.