Printmaking Techniques and
Terms
Print -A Definition
An original print is "an image that has been conceived by an artist as a print and executed solely as a print in a limited number under his or her artistic control. Each print in the edition is an original, printed from a plate, stone, screen, block, or other matrix created for that purpose. There is no one original print from which copies were made. Each is inked and pulled individually; it is a multi-original medium. The unique qualities of each matrix influence the nature of the images created by the artist. Regardless of the technology used, an original print is conceived and executed as a print, not as a reproduction of work in another medium"
Canadian Artists Representation
Artists Prints and Reproductions by Mark Graver>
Intaglio
A line, cavity or textured effect, incised, scratched or corroded down into the surface of, usually a metal, plate.
Carborundum
Silicon Carbide, a mineral substance used as an abrasive grit. Can be applied to plates in a number of ways to create tone and give dense areas of black (colour).
Collagraph
A collaged plate made of card etc. The surface is built up using a variety of materials – plaster, acrylic paint, card, cloth, leaves etc. Surface must be varnished before printing.
Etching
An etching is produced by the action of an acid solution (mordant) on a metal plate. A metal plate is coated with an acid resist ground which is then drawn through to expose the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid and where the metal has been exposed the acid will bite into the plate.
Relief Prints
Wood Cut/Lino Cut - image is cut into a block of wood or lino and the surface inked. The lines appear white. Or wood/lino can be cut away to leave just the lines raised above the plate surface. Lines print black (coloured).
Acrylic Resist Etching
A term to describe the use of liquid acrylics and polymers in making etch-resist grounds for metal plates.
Chine Collé
The application of thin layers of paper into the final print. Plate is first inked and positioned on press, papers to be collaged are glued on back and placed glue side up onto the plate, the paper is placed over the plate and run through the press.
Aquatint
A method of creating tonal variations in an etching. Traditionally a fine rosin layer is applied to a plate and fixed by heat. This creates a porous ground that can be stopped out and bitten at different intervals to control tone.
Sugar Lift
A lift ground to create a positive image. Sugar solution with Indian ink is painted onto a plate. The plate is covered with a hard ground and placed in warm water. The image will lift away as the sugar dissolves leaving exposed metal which is then etched. Usually combined with aquatint.
Engraving
An Intaglio technique requiring great control . The plate is cut into directly using a sharp-pointed tool called a burin. The engraved line is unique, with a crisp, precise character and clean edges.
Mezzotint
Essentially engraving in reverse. A spiked roller called a rocker is used to create a textured surface all over the plate, so that if it was inked and printed it would print in solid black. The picture is then developed in chiaroscuro with a scraper and a burnisher; the artist works from "black" to "white" by flattening (burnishing) areas so that they do not hold ink. No line drawing is employed in pure mezzotint, the result being soft without the sharp lines of an etching.
Drypoint
The technique of scratching or scoring directly into a plate. This creates a characteristic burr which holds the ink unlike engraving where no burrs are present.
Wood Engraving
An extremely fine form of woodcutting using blocks made from the end-grain of the wood, great detail and tonality can be obtained.
Screen Printing
An image is created by squeegeeing ink through a fine mesh. Photographic and/or paper stencils can be used to mask areas of the screen.
Lithography
A planographic process – the printing and non-printing areas lie in the same plane. Relies on natural antipathy between water and grease.Traditionally uses a stone to print from, but also zinc and aluminium plates, these being the only two effective metals at retaining grease. Printing surface is grained and drawn onto using specially prepared, high grease content inks and crayons. The plate is sponged down with a gum arabic solution which bonds to areas not drawn on. The drawing is then washed away with turps leaving a fine grease residue which is then built up with asphaltum. The gum is rinsed away in water and the plate is then inked up and printed.
Monotype/Monoprint
A Monotype is basically a one off transfer from a painted surface. A Monoprint is a print from a matrix that has been altered ie an etching with added hand colouring or chine-collé.
Matrix
The plate, wood block, silkscreen or computer screen from which the print is derived.
Gicleé
A posh name for ink jet
Reproduction
An image produced by photographic means, copied, scanned etc. Often sold as artists prints or limited edition prints and even open edition (unlimited!) prints they are usually no more than photographic copying of an existing work and should not be confused with original prints
Acrylic Aquatint
First documented by Keith Howard in his 1991 publication "Safe Photo Etching for photographers and Artists" whare special Speedball Screen Filler is airbrushed onto a copper plate and etched.
Acrylic Soft-Ground
An acrylic soft ground. A small amount of water soluble black relief ink is roll-coated onto a copper plate. While the ink is wet soft-ground textures are pressed into this ink-ground after which the ground is dried and plate etched in ferric chloride.
Crisco Lift (Kremelta)
A very detailed lift process in which positive marks are established with melted vegetable fat, coated with floor varnish, aquatinted, and then etched (developed by Friedhard Kiekeben and Susan Groce in 1998).
Edinburgh Etch
A mixture of ferric chloride and citric acid, invented by Friedhard Kiekeben in 1997, which offers a superior etchant for printmakers. The process received scientific approval by Drs Craig and Rosenberg of RIT, NY, in 2003.
ImagOn Plate
A metal or plastic plate laminated with ImagOn photopolymer film.
Solarplate
A term coined by Dan Weldon to describe an artistic use of flexographic printing plates for intaglio and relief printmaking, described in the 2001 text "Printmaking in the Sun" by Dan Welden and Pauline Muir.
Vertical Etching Tank
A etching tank, first employed for printmaking by Keith Howard in 1997, for etching plates vertically.
Printmaking Techniques
Preparation, Exposure and Development of ImageOn™ Polymer Film |
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