Printmaking
Printmaking is a creative art form that involves producing images or designs through various techniques from an inked matrix. This matrix can take many forms, such as carved wood blocks, metal plates, cardboard stencils, or even everyday objects like potatoes. The history of printmaking dates back to ancient China, where relief printing techniques were first developed, enabling the reproduction of texts and images on materials like silk and paper. Over time, printmaking evolved with the introduction of engraving and etching, particularly during the Renaissance, when artists like Rembrandt and Albrecht Dürer enhanced the craft.
Lithography, invented in the late eighteenth century, and stencil printing methods, such as serigraphy, further diversified printmaking techniques. In modern times, digital printmaking has emerged as a new frontier, combining traditional methods with contemporary technology. This art form allows for unique expressions, with artists often experimenting with non-toxic materials and innovative processes. Distinguishing original prints from reproductions is essential, as original prints reflect a thoughtful creative process rather than mere duplication. As printmakers navigate both artistic expression and commercial opportunities, they continue to contribute to the rich tapestry of visual arts across cultures.
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of creating one or more impressions, or prints, from an inked matrix. A matrix can be a carved block of wood, an incised sheet of metal, a cardboard stencil, or even a potato or an eraser into which the artist has cut a relief, or raised design.
The ancient Chinese created the first known reliefs when they incised Confucian texts in large slabs of stone. Their inventions of ink, paper, and silk enabled them to make prints of text for books and wall hangings. They also invented woodblock printing which spread throughout Asia, where Buddhist-inspired prints of nature and temples remain among the greatest achievements in art. Until the invention of the printing press in the late fifteenth century, Europeans borrowed the technique to make copies of books. With the advent of the printing press, European artists embraced woodblock printing for portraiture, landscapes, abstract art, and other creative uses.
Engraving, considered the first intaglio printmaking technique, developed in ancient times when it was used to decorate and inscribe metal objects. Intaglio is a process of creating a reverse- or mirror-image print by means of inking the cut portions of the matrix rather than the surface. Medieval artists, most notably Albrecht Dürer, developed the copperplate engraving technique, used widely for many years.
Etching, another intaglio technique, was developed by Dutch Renaissance artists, most notably Esaias van de Velde and his cousin, Jan van de Velde II. Etching involves incising a design in copperplate with acid instead of cutting with a tool. The Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn, known simply as Rembrandt, perfected the technique and was known far and wide for his portrait etchings.
During the late eighteenth century, German lithographer Alois Senefelder invented lithography, a technique explored by many European artists, including M.C. Escher. Lithography involves painting a design on a flat surface, traditionally limestone or metal, with oil-based paint or greasy crayons. Water is then applied to the matrix and allowed to soak into the areas not covered with oil, where it will then repel the oil-based printing ink. A modern-day technique that works on a similar principle is Mylar transfer.
The fourth major category of printmaking techniques is stencil printing, in which a design is created through one or more openings in the matrix. Serigraphy, or silkscreen printing, involves blocking off unwanted areas with gum Arabic or another substance, and then pushing ink through the unblocked areas onto the paper. The medium gained in popularity during the early twentieth century and enjoyed a major revival in the 1960s at the hands of Andy Warhol and other pop artists, when screenprinting also became widely used for printing t-shirts.
Digital printmaking is the newest frontier in printmaking, and has encouraged many new methods that are often combined with traditional or other contemporary techniques.
Things to Look For
An original print is different from an art reproduction as it represents an intentional creative process from the conception of the matrix design through the final inking and pressing steps, rather than simply being a copy of a drawing or painting. Reproductions are usually churned out by machine, whereas a print is often formed by hand or with a hand-cranked press.
When making multiple fine art prints from the same matrix, the printmaker numbers each print in pencil at the bottom. Written as a fraction, such as 15/100, the first number represents the number of the print, while the number on the right is the total number of prints made in this edition. The number of the edition does not necessarily represent the order in which the prints were made, but usually the order in which they were signed.
When beginning printmaking, one should become familiar with the vocabulary, as it is rich with terms that have derived from outside North America. For example, "intaglio" means "to cut" in Italian and "mezzoprint," from mezza tinta, means "halftone." Additionally, a greasy ink used in lithography is called "tusche," a German term that means to "lay on color," and "pochoir" means "stencil" in French, and is used for a stenciling process that is often combined with other techniques.
Trends
Contemporary printmaking is all about experimentation and individual approaches. Among the most popular techniques in recent years are collagraphy, digital, solarplate, color-copier, and combination printmaking. Digital and color-copier techniques in particular have generated some lively discussion among artists who fall into two camps: those who believe these are valid printmaking techniques and those who feel their reliance on machines to generate prints disqualifies them as genuine printmaking techniques.
Other trends involve the movement towards non-toxic, green materials and processes, such as water-based ink.
Printmaking for Fun vs. Profit
There are numerous opportunities for printmakers in the graphic arts, especially those with digital experience. A degree or certificate is usually required, but a strong portfolio will often be accepted instead. Printmakers may design greeting cards, posters, book covers, advertisements, and many other items while working for a firm, or can make and sell them independently in the arts and crafts markets. Collaborations with interior decorators and other professionals as well as teaching can provide additional income.
Learning More
Organizations
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) (http://www.aiga.org/)
Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA) (https://www.sagaprints.com/)
Books
Corwin, Lena. Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens. New York: Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2008.
Hughes, Ann d'Arcy and Hebe Vernon-Morris. The Printmaking Bible: The Complete Guide to Materials and Techniques. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2008.
Jansdotter, Lotta. Lotta Prints: How to Print with Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2008.
Klanten, R., and H. Hellige. Impressive Printmaking, Letterpress and Graphic Design, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2011.
Petterson, Melvyn and Colin Gale. The Instant Printmaker: Simple Printing Methods to Try at Home. New York: Watson-Guptill, 2003.
Riley, Sarah A. Practical Mixed-Media Printmaking, A & C Black, 2011.
Stobart, Jane. Printmaking for Beginners. 2nd ed. New York: Watson-Guptill, 2005.
Stromquist, Annie. Simple Screenprinting: Basic Techniques & Creative Projects. New York: Lark, 2004.