A photographic and printmaking technique used to create images with controlled tonal areas, allowing for subtle gradations from pale gray to deep black. In etching, aquatint produces a textured, tonal effect by using powdered resin or other materials to resist acid on a metal plate, creating a range of shades when inked and printed. The term has also been used as an alternative name for the gum bichromate process, a photographic printing method that allows similar control over tonal variation and artistic expression. Aquatint is valued for its ability to produce rich, painterly images with fine tonal depth and subtle shading.