Traditionally, a hard wax etching ground, when applied to your plate, will have a dark honey colour. It can be difficult to visualise the lines you have drawn through the ground, plus any areas of exposed metal that the ground has not covered. Smoking the ground with a naked flame will create a fine layer of soot and darken the ground, making it much easier to see your drawing.
These wax tapers can be used individually, for very small plates, or twisted and combined so that multiple wicks will light creating a larger flame.
