noun
- A photomechanical printing process in which an image is transferred to a metal plate using light and chemical treatment, then used for printing.
Usage: technical; printing and photography; largely historical; superseded by modern digital printing methods
Examples
- Heliotyping was a significant advancement in the 19th century for reproducing photographs in print.
- The museum's collection includes rare books produced using heliotyping techniques.
- Before digital printing, heliotyping allowed publishers to include photographic images in their publications.
- The process of heliotyping required careful control of light exposure and chemical baths.
- Early scientific journals relied on heliotyping to reproduce detailed botanical illustrations.