Printmaking

Printmaking Techniques & Materials

Printmaking is an enjoyable expression and is accompanied by some terms that often seem a bit difficult to understand. So, here some of the common terms and techniques will be explained. The scope of printmaking is huge and can be enjoyed by nearly any age group. Some of the materials used are found around the home, while others must be purchased from art material dealers.

No matter the level of your involvement with printmaking, it is sure to be exciting. In some techniques, duplication of results is nearly impossible, which seems a bit contradictory to the basic term: printmaking. Let’s take, for our first example, the most direct and simple of prints…monoprints.

A monoprint (mono meaning one) is created by applying ink or paint to a hard flat surface (plate), pressing paper against the plate and lifting the paper from the plate. The resulting print is one-of-a-kind, since ink or paint would be nearly impossible to set in the same place time after time. Simple doesn’t mean uninteresting, and this is a great technique for any artist.

Collagraph, a very simple form of printmaking, is a print created from a plate (Masonite, mat board, chip board, etc.) that has natural and/or found objects with texture glued to it. The surface of the plate is sealed and, when dry, is inked on the textured plate, excess removed and a paper placed on top. Downward pressure (using a press or hand roller) presses the paper and ink together and the images are transferred (in reverse) to the paper. Again, the simplicity of collagraph prints makes them easy for everyone to try. Many, but not unlimited, prints can be made from a master collagraph plate.

Wood block (woodcut) printing advances in difficulty because the artist uses special gouges and carving tools to create a dimensional image in a wood block. The high surfaces of the wood block are inked, paper is pressed against the inked areas and the resulting image is a woodblock print. Surfaces other than wood can be used; linoleum, wax, and rubber are a few that are a bit easier to carve. Early wood block designs were used for fabric embellishment and those blocks endure as collectables.

Reduction prints are created with care by print artists who desire more color and texture in their work. Each color is printed individually on the ever-decreasing wood block. Working from back to front colorwise, the artist reduces the wood block with every color, printing that part of the plate that will reflect a specific color, and then removing more mass to print the next color. When finished, the only areas that remain on the block are those representing the very last color.

Drypoint etching is more involved because it starts with a metal plate. The plate is scribed (scratched) by the artist to record a subject. Ink is rubbed into the slight toothy grooves created by the scribing. Paper is then put on the plate, pressed and the resulting print is pulled away from the plate. For all but the tiniest of printed images, a printing press is invaluable in the process. Strong definition and evenness is difficult with hand pressing methods. Many prints can be made from the original plate. Etching can be taken yet another step by using acid to enlarge and remove areas of the metal surface.

Intaglio prints are made from a metal base into which designs have been created. This is often done with harsh chemicals, the metal dissolving where there are scribed or etched lines that have been made through a protective covering. Because of the chemical contact (acids), this level of printmaking is considered advanced and should be done under supervision and instruction. Many prints can be made from the original plate. Ink is rubbed into the low areas, paper is pressed to the surface and a print is created.

Finally, following is a simple explanation of some terms associated with printmaking:

brayer - a hard rubber roller on a handle used to transfer ink to the plate.

plate – a surface on which an image is formed, usually metal.

baren - a circular padded tool used to rub against the back of paper to obtain an image from a master.

hard ground -an acid-resistant material applied to an etching plate through which you scribe to create a design.

mordant - an acid or other corrosive substance used to “bite” into a metal plate to create an image on that plate.

gouge – a V- or U-shaped tool for cutting a wood or linoleum block.

See your retailer and visit www.graphicchemical.com for a full line of printmaking equipment, tools and materials.

Exhibitions:

—Kiki Smith:  Rituals showcases the recent acquisition of a significant collection of 56 prints from collector Stephen Dull.  It features many of the artist’s best known prints and represents all aspects of the extraordinary range of techniques and imagery in her graphic work.  High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, through Jan. 22.

—Print by Print:  Series from Dürer to Lichtenstein features works that span 500 years of printmaking, with more than 350 prints by Canaletto, Picasso, Ruscha and other artists who created series covering a wide range of topics.  Also represented are two voices for a new generation of printmakers, Daniel Heyman and Andrew Raftery.  Baltimore Museum of Art, MD, through March 25.

—Will Barnet: Relationships, Intimate and Abstract, 1935-1965 includes nearly 50 works that explore the momentous evolution of Barnet's art from realism to abstraction during the middle decades of the twentieth century. This exhibition marks the 100th birthday of this pioneering printmaker, painter and educator. Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, TX, through Dec. 31.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 22, No. 1 — November 2011