Printmaking is an art technique that involves transferring images from a matrix onto a different surface, typically paper or fabric. Traditional printmaking methods comprise woodcut, etching, engraving, and lithography, while contemporary artists have broadened the range of techniques to include screenprinting.
A matrix can be made of wood, metal, or glass and functions as a template. The design is formed on the matrix by manipulating its flat surface using tools or chemicals. The inked matrix is then pressed onto the desired surface to transfer the design. Printing from a matrix necessitates the controlled application of pressure, typically achieved using a printing press, to ensure a uniform impression of the design on the paper or fabric. (Modern printmaking techniques like screenprinting do not necessitate a press.) The resulting print often appears as the mirrored version of the original design on the matrix. Printmaking has the advantage (excluding monotype) of allowing multiple identical prints to be made from one matrix.
9 Types of Printmaking You Need to Know
Woodcut
In his 1883 book History of the Wood Engraving, George E. Woodberry stated that woodcuts played a significant role in the transition from medieval to modern life. Woodcuts not only transformed printmaking methods but also expanded people’s access to literature and art.
The woodcut technique initially gained popularity due to its practical purposes like printing books and decorating textiles but eventually evolved into its own art form. Woodcuts are a type of relief printmaking where negative space is carved out from a surface, leaving behind only the desired lines and shapes for the print. For instance, an artist will carve into a piece of wood, apply ink to the remaining surface, place it on paper, and then create a print by applying pressure to the back of the block using a roller, printing press, or another tool to transfer the ink onto the page.
Linocut
Both woodcuts and linocuts possess a similar visual quality due to the relief technique, which necessitates creating images using smooth areas of color and flowing lines. Linocuts, originating in the 20th century, are also classified as relief printmaking; however, instead of carving from wood, linocuts involve cutting into a sheet of linoleum.
Because it is easy to learn and affordable, this method is often taught to those who are new to printmaking. Additionally, due to the thin and delicate nature of linoleum, it can be manually pressed onto paper using a tool, such as the back of a spoon or a baren, or with the use of a printing press.
Collagraph
Collagraphs are a type of relief print that can be done without using a printing press. Instead of subtracting from a surface, this method involves adding to the surface of a printing plate. To do this, you start by collaging thin materials, such as fabrics, plants, or plastic, onto the plate. These objects will form the raised surface required for a relief print, but typically, they will not exceed a quarter of an inch in height. If they do, there is a possibility of tearing the paper you are printing onto.
Engraving
Engraving is considered the oldest form of intaglio printmaking, and it is also known to be one of the most challenging techniques to execute. Intaglio differs from relief printmaking in that instead of applying ink on the surface, it involves creating incisions or grooves on a plate. Once the plate is covered in ink, the excess ink is wiped off, leaving behind ink in the grooves. The plate is then placed in a printing press, where the paper is pressed onto the plate’s grooves to transfer the ink. After separating the paper and plate, the ink will be visible on the paper. To distinguish between the two processes, it is helpful to remember that anything carved into the plate will be inked in intaglio, while relief printmaking showcases the uncarved areas.
Etching
Etching is a commonly used intaglio technique and differs from engraving in the method used to create lines on the plate. Instead of using a burin, etching involves incising marks into the plate through a process known as “biting.” To begin, a thin layer of wax-like material called the “ground” is applied to a metal plate. Next, the design is drawn onto the plate using a needle. It is not necessary to apply strong pressure while making these marks, as they only need to scratch the surface of the ground. Once the drawing is complete, the back of the plate is coated with varnish and then the plate is submerged in an acid bath.
Aquatint
The process of an aquatint, like an etching, focuses more on shapes rather than line. It was developed in the late 1800s and gained popularity in printmaking due to its resemblance to watercolor, which led to its name “aquatint.”
Monotype
In relief printmaking, lines are made by carving the surface, whereas in intaglio printmaking, grooves are created by incising the surface. However, in planographic printmaking, the depth of the surface remains unchanged, and instead, images are produced on a flat surface. The monotype is a commonly employed planographic technique.
Monotypes, like linocuts, are a printmaking technique that beginners often choose because of its straightforward process and its independence from a printing press. There are various methods for making a monotype, but a commonly used technique involves applying printing ink to a glass surface with a roller. After covering the surface with ink, you remove some of it to form an image. Then, you position the inked side of the glass onto a sheet of paper and vigorously rub the back. When you separate the paper and glass, the image you created on the glass will be printed in reverse.
Lithography
Lithography is a form of planographic printmaking that is similar to monotype, but they differ in many ways. Lithographs were first made in Munich in 1798 and are produced using a significant piece of limestone or metal plate. A meticulous procedure is necessary to develop an image on the stone or plate.
Screen print
The reason screen printing (also referred to as silkscreen printing) is distinct is that the print is not produced directly from the surface of a block or plate. Instead, the images are printed by placing a stencil over a screen mesh.
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