PrintmakingPrintmaking

What is Printmaking?What is Printmaking?

Artists choose a surface to be a “plate’. It Artists choose a surface to be a “plate’. It could be linoleum, styrofoam, metal, could be linoleum, styrofoam, metal, cardboard, or stone. Then the artists prepares cardboard, or stone. Then the artists prepares the plate by cutting, etching, or drawing an the plate by cutting, etching, or drawing an image onto the plate . Ink is applied and paper image onto the plate . Ink is applied and paper is them pressed onto the plate by hand or with is them pressed onto the plate by hand or with a printing press. The finished print is then a printing press. The finished print is then pulled from the plate.pulled from the plate.

Often the first 3 or 4 prints are different from Often the first 3 or 4 prints are different from the rest of the edition. They are called the the rest of the edition. They are called the artist’s ‘proofs’. The number of prints pulled artist’s ‘proofs’. The number of prints pulled from a plate is called an edition, and once a from a plate is called an edition, and once a certain number of prints are made, the plate is certain number of prints are made, the plate is destroyed so more prints can’t be made later. destroyed so more prints can’t be made later. This means the prints that were made become This means the prints that were made become very valuable!very valuable!

Four Main Types of PrintmakingFour Main Types of Printmaking

Relief PrintingRelief Printing IntaglioIntaglio Planography (Lithography)Planography (Lithography) Stencil: SerigrpahyStencil: Serigrpahy

Relief PrintingRelief Printing

This printing is from a raised surface. An example This printing is from a raised surface. An example would be a rubber stamp. Relief prints are made would be a rubber stamp. Relief prints are made from flat sheets like metal, wood, styrofoam, etc. from flat sheets like metal, wood, styrofoam, etc. After drawing the picture on the surface, the artist After drawing the picture on the surface, the artist cuts away the areas that won’t be printed. A roller cuts away the areas that won’t be printed. A roller (brayer) is used to spread ink on the plate, a sheet of (brayer) is used to spread ink on the plate, a sheet of paper is place on top of the plate,, and the image is paper is place on top of the plate,, and the image is transferred by rubbing the paper with your hand or a transferred by rubbing the paper with your hand or a block of wood. It’s a mirror image of the original block of wood. It’s a mirror image of the original plate!plate!

IntaglioIntaglio

These prints are made by cutting the pitcute into the These prints are made by cutting the pitcute into the surface of the printing plate. Using a sharp V-shaped surface of the printing plate. Using a sharp V-shaped tool called a burin, the artist gouges the lines of the tool called a burin, the artist gouges the lines of the image into the surface of a smooth , polished sheet of image into the surface of a smooth , polished sheet of metal or plexiglass. To make the print, ink is pushed metal or plexiglass. To make the print, ink is pushed into the lines which have been scratched out. The into the lines which have been scratched out. The surface is wiped clean so the ink is only left in the surface is wiped clean so the ink is only left in the scratches, a piece of paper that was soaked in water is scratches, a piece of paper that was soaked in water is place on the plate, and then it is all run through a place on the plate, and then it is all run through a printing press. The paper is literally forced into the printing press. The paper is literally forced into the small lines with the ink.small lines with the ink.

Planograpgy (Lithography)Planograpgy (Lithography)

Planography is the printing of a flat surface. Planography is the printing of a flat surface. Lithography is the art of printing from a flat Lithography is the art of printing from a flat stone (limestone) or a metal plate by a method stone (limestone) or a metal plate by a method based on the simple fact that grease attracts based on the simple fact that grease attracts grease as it repels water. A design is drawn on grease as it repels water. A design is drawn on the surface with a greasy material (crayon, the surface with a greasy material (crayon, pencil, ink, etc.) and then water and pencil, ink, etc.) and then water and printmaking ink are applied. The greasy parts printmaking ink are applied. The greasy parts absorb the ink and the wet parts don’t.absorb the ink and the wet parts don’t.

Stencil: SeriographyStencil: Seriography

A stencil is a sheet of paper, fabric, plastic, A stencil is a sheet of paper, fabric, plastic, metal or other material with design cut out of metal or other material with design cut out of it. Ink is forced through the openings onto the it. Ink is forced through the openings onto the surface (paper, silk, etc.). This is often done surface (paper, silk, etc.). This is often done with a squeegee (rubber mounted in a wooden with a squeegee (rubber mounted in a wooden handle).handle).