ARTtalk
...the link between you, the visual artist, and the manufacturer of art
materials.
established 1990
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Printmaking
Printmaking is a vast term that is seldom fully understood by the public and not often understood by artists who are not directly involved with the process. It actually means the replication of an image from some type of master plate, screen, block, etc. With so many types of electronically generated images bombarding us every day, it might be a good time to review some of the parameters and terminology connected to printmaking.
The first family of prints generically described will be those that are created by hand, without photographic processes.
When an artist takes a metal plate, creates a master image on that plate, inks the plate and presses it against special papers, the images he prints are considered etchings.
When an artist carves a wooden block to remove the material around a subject or image, the block can then be inked and printed to create original wood block prints (also called woodcuts). Artists often use a different wood block for each color.
Carving into a somewhat soft surface of special linoleum material creates linoleum prints. The image can then be printed much the same way as a wood block print. Note: During WWII, battleships were outfitted with special fiber-backed linoleum. The same type of material is still manufactured today and is the favorite carving medium for purist lino printmakers.
Stone lithography involves the use of a specially acid-etched stone. Once inked, the high spots print color and the slightly recessed areas do not print. The weight, size and difficulty of preparation, and the hazards of dealing with harsh chemicals make this a rarity.
When an artist creates a special screen design and pushes ink through this screen onto paper, the result is referred to as a silkscreen or serigraph. Multiple screens may be used to create different colors. Usually one screen is used for each color, and the screen is open only in the areas where that specific color is desired.
Presses are used in all but silkscreen printing to force the paper against a master plate, woodcut, etc., and to extract a sharp and precise image. Hand burnishing can often be substituted if a press is unavailable, but this increases the degree of difficulty and the amount of labor and time involved. In either case, whether the print is created on a special press or hand burnished to reveal the image, each print is considered an original. They are duplicates in a series of works and can be numbered and signed as a limited edition.
Works created during the development stages of the master plate are often referred to as artists' proofs. They are not considered part of the edition, but are nevertheless very collectable. Descriptions of the numbering methods follow below.
Other types of printmaking methods are used as well. Many are developed as the artist does experimentation is his studio: rolled prints, created with intricate carved master rollers; soft base materials that can be easily carved and yield
results similar to wood cuts; found objects pressed against paper. Virtually any textured surface can be inked and will create a useful texture for the printmaker. However, those methods that yield a flat master plate are most favored by printmakers because they speed the creation and quality of their artwork.
Numbering of editions is an interesting study. A print number usually consists of two different numbers, these being separated with a slash. The number to the right of the slash indicates the total prints that were created from the master plate, while the number to the left of the slash represents the exact order in which the prints were created. Artists' proofs, as stated, are created outside the limited number of any run, and it is practice for the plate to be destroyed or severely altered before other runs of prints can be created using it.
A second family of prints is that created by some type of photographic or electronic reproduction. Photographic lithography is the first method that offers all artists a way to create multiple images from any painting, drawing, pastel, or watercolor - nearly any medium could be photographically recreated. It is extremely popular because of the exact, repeated duplicates it creates.
Photolithography involves the four-color process in which an individual printing plate represents each color. As the plates are inked, printed and overlapped on the page, the image comes to be a realistic and true replication of the original artwork. These prints can be very affordable, can be created in a variety of sizes, and make the creation of artwork duplicates very easy. Prices vary greatly, depending on the number of prints created at any given time, the paper the work is printed on, and the quality/reputation of the printer.
Sources for printers can be located in any art magazine. Order samples, discuss your special needs, and examine all your options before settling on a deal.
TIPS: Order enough prints to make the printing process feasible, but avoid over stocking. If you can find a printer who deals in lower numbers, you can have prints made of several images rather than a large number of one image. Shop price and quality. Research the inks the printer uses; ask about their life expectancy and lightfastness. What is the rag content of the paper? High rag content means the paper will not discolor.
This is a good opportunity for artists to tap a second market, a clientele that is unable to afford originals. And it is a great way to enhance your income.
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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 10 No. 2 -- December 1999