A print is a work of art created and hand printed by an artist from a metal plate, block, stone or stencil. The plate, block, stone or stencil looks nothing like the print, which means each print is not a copy or a reproduction, it is an original. Each print is signed by the artist and numbered according to the order it was printed in. An edition is a number of prints pulled from a plate, all of which are exactly the same.

Monoprinting, intaglio, lithography, silkscreen, relief are the most common forms of printmaking.

 

Monoprinting 

Monoprinting is one of the simplest and basic forms of printmaking. One method is to roll ink out onto a smooth surface and wipe areas away to produce the image. Another is to directly paint an image onto the plate. Paper is placed on top of the plate and can be either rolled by hand or rolled through a press to print it. Many plates can be printed on top of each other and colours can be printed on top of each other or mixed on the plate itself.

 

 

 top

Intaglio

Under the umbrella of intaglio is the largest number of techniques in printmaking.  Engraving, etching, drypoint, mezzotint and collograph all fall into this category. 

An intaglio print is made by making lines or depressions on a metal plate, which can be copper, zinc or aluminium.  This can be done by acid, by a sharp instrument or by building up the surface of the plate.  Ink is then pushed into these marks and then wiped clean leaving the ink in the recessed areas.  The plate is then placed on the etching press bed and damp paper is placed on top.  Both are rolled through the press so that the paper is forced into all the lines and recessions of the plate, to produce a richly inked impression. Colour can be used in several different ways - by inking many colours up on one plate, by rolling over the top to leave a layer on the un-etched areas or by printing several plates on top of each other.   

   

colour plate etching                      drypoint         collograph with photoetching

top

Lithography 

Lithography is the method where an image is drawn on a limestone block or texture metal plate with a greasy crayon or ink.  The image is etched onto the stone with dilute acid and gum.  A thin layer of water is sponged over the greasy image and ink is rolled across it.  Paper is then placed on top of the stone or plate and rolled through the lithography press. 

Litho stones and plates are smooth to the touch unlike the intaglio plate as the acid is dilute.

 

top

Silkscreen 

Of all the print forms in use today silkscreen is possibly the most widely recognised.  This type of print is produced on a rectangular frame over which fine fabric is stretched and stapled, called a screen.  The ink is pulled across the screen pushing it onto the surface below by a squeegee. Areas that are to remain unprinted are blocked out with bitumen, leaving the ink to pass through the unfilled areas. Each colour is printed separately and this type of can be done on almost any surface.

 

top

Relief

Relief printmaking is usually done using wood or lino. Areas are cut away from the blocks surface with different shaped blades or tools. When the block is rolled up with, ink the areas that have been cut will not be inked and remain white. The areas that are not cut away will hold the ink and print. Paper is placed on top of the block and can be either rolled by hand or rolled through an etching or block press to print it. Blocks can be inked in several different colours at once. They can also be printed in different colours on top of each other with extra areas cut away each time.  

 

 

top