Walling wax

Description

A raised border of wax around the edges of an etching plate. Walling wax is primarily composed of beeswax. It is used to form a containment region so that a thin layer of acid can be applied directly to the plate's surface. It eliminates the need to immerse the entire plate in a bath.

Synonyms and Related Terms

bordering wax

Authority

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000