The A-Z of Printmaking Techniques

The A-Z of Printmaking Techniques Print Making, A Brief History

PRINTMAKING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. PRINTMAKING WAS A RESPONSE TO THE INVENTION OF PAPER AND ALLOWED FOR QUICK AND EASY COPYING OF A PIECE OF ART OR PIECE OF PRINTED LITERATURE FOR QUICK DISSEMINATION. THERE ARE FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES AND SEVERAL SUB-CATEGORIES OF PRINTMAKING. THE FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES OF PRINTMAKING ARE1. RELIEF OR CARVED BLOCKS THAT FEATURE A RAISED PATTERN TO ACHIEVE THE PRINT. 2. INTAGLIO, WHICH IS AN ENGRAVED PATTERN TO ACHIEVE THE PRINT. 3. LITHOGRAPHY USES A FLAT SURFACE WITH SPECIFIC AREAS THAT REPEL INK. 4. SCREEN PRINTING USES A SCREEN WITH MESH TO TRANSFER A PATTERN.

EACH CATEGORY HAS SPECIFIC USES THAT IT IS BEST SUITED FOR.

THESE EARLY PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES WERE CREATED TO HELP MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO MORE QUICKLY COPY A PIECE SO THAT IT COULD BE SOLD TO THE MASSES. TODAY, PRINTMAKING HAS ALLOWED ARTISTS TO OVERSEE AND AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF LIMITED-EDITION REPRODUCTIONS OF THEIR WORK. IN THIS WAY, MANY ART COLLECTORS AND ENTHUSIAST CAN HAVE AUTHENTIC, LIMITEDEDITION WORKS OF ART, SIGNED BY THE ARTIST IN THEIR HOME.

LITHOGRAPHY IN THIS WAY, MANY ART COLLECTORS AND ENTHUSIAST CAN HAVE AUTHENTIC, LIMITEDEDITION WORKS OF ART, SIGNED BY THE ARTIST IN THEIR HOME. PUT A METAL PLATE WITH THE IMAGE ON IT, AND THE IMAGE WOULD BE COVERED IN A SUBSTANCE THAT ATTRACTED INK. WHILE THE NEGATIVE SPACE WOULD BE COATED TO REPEL THE INK. THIS ALLOWS FOR A TRANSFER OF THE IMAGE TO BE PRINTED RELATIVELY QUICKLY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE ARTIST. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF RENOWNED ARTISTS’ LITHOGRAPHS AVAILABLE OR SOLD AT AUCTION; MARC CHAGALL LITHOGRAPH AUCTION, PABLO PICASSO LITHOGRAPH AUCTION AND ALEXANDER CALDER AUCTION, JUST TO MENTION A FEW.

SERIGRAPH, SILKSCREEN AND SCREEN PRINTING SILKSCREEN PRINTING IS ANOTHER WORD FOR SERIGRAPH.

WE USE SILK TO CREATE A SCREEN THAT HELPS TO TRANSFER THE IMAGE, THAT’S WHY WE CALL IT SILKSCREEN PRINTING.

ETCHINGS ETCHINGS ARE MUCH LIKE RELIEF PRINTS. IT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH THE SURFACE OF THE PRINTING PLATE; METAL, IN THIS CASE, IS GOING TO BE ETCHED. THE INK OR OTHER MEDIUM IS THEN APPLIED TO THE SURFACE OF THE ETCHING AND IT IS PRESSED DOWN FIRMLY AND EVENLY TO PRODUCE THE REVERSE IMAGE.

ENAMEL WITH ENAMEL PRINTING, YOU NEED TO USE SCREEN PRINTING AS IT DOES ALLOW FOR THE BEST OVERALL RESULT. THE DRY ENAMEL IS PASSED THROUGH THE SCREEN AND DOES STAY WHERE THE DESIGN IS. THIS PROCESS IS BEST USED WITH THINGS LIKE CLOCK FACES AND OTHER FLAT DESIGNS.

AQUATINT AN AQUATINT IS A TYPE OF LITHOGRAPH THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CREATE. THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE BEING USED IN THE PROCESS ALLOW FOR TEXTURE TO BE ADDED TO THE PRINT WHICH DOES MAKE IT MORE REALISTIC IN THE FINAL FORMS.

THE NAME AQUATINT COMES FROM THE FACT THAT THE RESULTING PRINTS OFTEN COME OUT LOOKING LIKE WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS.

DRYPOINT DRYPOINT IS A TYPE OF INTAGLIO PRINTING THAT DOES REQUIRE ETCHING TOOLS TO CREATE A DESIGN ON THE METAL PLATE THAT IS GOING TO BE USED FOR THE PRINT. DEPENDING ON THE AESTHETIC THE ARTIST DESIRES, DRYPOINT IS AN OUTSTANDING OPTION TO TO REPRODUCE DETAILED FINE ART WORKS AND MASS PRODUCE DRAWINGS.

COLLOTYPE THE PROCESS WAS INVENTED IN 1856. IT INVOLVES COATING A COLLOTYPE PLATE WITH A THIN LAYER OF GELATIN OR OTHER MATERIAL THAT WILL THEN REPEL THE INK. THE INK FROM THE TYPE IS THEN TRANSFERRED TO PAPER. IT IS CONSIDERED A TYPE OF LITHOGRAPH.

PRINTMAKING HAS CERTAINLY EVOLVED AND CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NEW METHODS, THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT STAY TRUE TO OLDER, ARTISTIC METHODS TO PRODUCE LIMITED EDITION PRINTS OF THEIR MOST SOUGHT AFTER WORK. YOU CAN FIND MANY OF THESE TYPES OF PRINTS AT ANY CONTEMPORARY ART AUCTION.