Screentone is a technique for applying textures and shades to drawings, used as an alternative to hatching. In the conventional process, patterns are transferred to paper from preprinted sheets.[1] It is also known by the common brand names Zip-A-Tone (1937, now defunct[2]), Chart-Pak (1949[3]), and Letratone (1966, from Letraset[4]).
A dry transfer screentone sheet consists of a flexible transparent backing, the printed texture, and a wax adhesive layer. The sheet is applied to the paper, adhesive down, and rubbed with a stylus (also called a burnishing tool) on the backing side. The backing is then peeled off, leaving the ink adhered to the paper where pressure was applied.