Ancient techniques of manual engraving: Burino engraving
In essence, it is not that we change much. Instead of the tip which is normally eighteen to twenty five centimeters long, the burin is used which is nothing more than a shorter tip at the end of which a wooden handle is usually fixed for a total length of about nine centimeters. The graver is held in the right hand with the handle housed in the palm. The most substantial difference, to the effect of the result, is that the pressure to advance the tip is not given by the hammer but by the hand itself.
With the latter the groove is more continuous because the pressure is no longer intermittent as under the action of the hammer but above all, and this is more intuitive than explainable in words, there is greater sensitivity and the engraver can obtain more valid effects. because the pushing hand is able at the same time to adjust and modify how and how much it wants the pressure, the inclination of the tool and its depth and rotation depending on how much taste and experience suggest it. The result is almost always a lighter work (less deep) than the one performed at the point but the possibilities offered to the artist are much higher especially as regards the shading. The latter is no longer obtained with the shadow but with the burin itself.
Evidently in the first case several parallel lines were executed while with the burin one line was executed one at a time but this also acts in its favor giving it greater flexibility in execution. Since the burin is held with the right hand, the left is free to hold a magnifying glass which is necessary for the execution of this work: the human eye is not enough on its own. We have asserted that the possibilities with the burin are greatly expanded: it will be enough to look at the illustrated engravings to see how true this is in general and especially when it comes to creating chiaroscuro. Of course, its use requires an excellent mastery of both drawing and technique in order to be able to fully exploit it.