Tattoo Glossary — E
Etching (style)
A tattoo style that replicates the look of copper plate etching — fine, parallel linework, cross-hatching, and deep contrasts, as if printed from an engraved metal plate.
In detail
Etching-style tattooing requires exceptional linework precision and uses fine liner needles. The compositions often reference historical scientific illustration, botanical prints, and antique engravings.
Related styles
See also
Linework
The outlines and structural lines of a tattoo. Clean, consistent linework is foundational to most tattoo styles and a key marker of technical skill.
Hatching
A shading technique using parallel lines to create tonal gradations. Cross-hatching uses intersecting lines. Common in illustrative and etching-style tattoos.