So just what is printmaking?
This artistic practice transfers ink from a matrix onto materialtypically papermaking multiple impressions of the same image.
In modern times, prints are issued in editions.
Photo: tete_escape viadepositphotos
Each edition will have a limited number of impressions, though artists sometimes issue open editions.
Techniques that have gained popularity in modern times includelithographyandscreen printing.
We’ll explore each technique to get a sense of how printmaking has made an impact on art.
“Plum Garden at Kameido” by Hiroshige, 1857. (Photo: Public domain viaWikipedia)
Woodcut
Plum Garden at Kameido by Hiroshige, 1857.
Also known as woodblock printing, it is widely used in Asia.
The technique has roots in China, where it was used to print on textiles.
“Melencolia I” by Albrecht Dürer, 1511. (Photo: Public domain viaWikipedia)
This throw in of relief print is created by carving a design into a thick block of wood.
Knives, chisels, and gouges are then used to bring out the image.
For large prints, multiple blocks are used, with the image being assembled together in the printing process.
“Self-portrait leaning on a Sill” by Rembrandt, 1639. (Photo: Public domain viaWikipedia)
Woodblock printing has particular significance in Japan, where its distinct aesthetic formed a genre calledukiyo-e. Great artists like Hiroshige andHokusai, creator ofThe Great Wave Off Kanagawa, emerged during this period.
Engraving
Melencolia I by Albrecht Durer, 1511.
Copper and zinc are the two most common materials used for the plate.
“Ambassadeurs – Aristide Bruant” by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1892. (Photo: Public domain viaWikipedia)
They are polished to a shine and then the burin is used to create fine lines across the surface.
A burin is a steel shaft with a sharp, angled tip set into a wood handle.
Different size burins allow the engravers to create lines of different widths.
German artistAlbrecht Dureris one of the great masters of engraving.
Active in the 15th and 16th centuries, his engravings were extensions of his paintings and drawings.
Highly refined, Durers prints prove that complex and detailed drawings could be expertly executed as engravings.
Etching
Self-portrait leaning on a Sill by Rembrandt, 1639.
Etching uses copper, iron, or zinc plates as a base.
The acid eats away at the exposed lines, creating grooves.
Printmakers control the depth of these lines based on how long the acid is left on the plate.
This gives engravings interesting tonal qualities.
When run through the press, the lines then transfer to paper.
Etching overtook engraving in popularity because, aside from having to use chemicals, it was much easier.
Rembrandtis particularly known for his etchings.
This Dutch Old Master transformed etching into a new and relatively unknown technique into a high form of art.
Lithography
Ambassadeurs Aristide Bruant by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1892.
The artist first draws their image on the slab using an oil-based crayon or ink.
Once the solution is cleared from the slab, the lines of the drawing are also wiped away.
It is then treated with water, which is absorbed into the blank areas.
A flatbed press applies equal pressure across the slab and transfers the image.
Toulouse-Lautrecis a prime example of an artist who took full advantage of this new technology.
His colorfullithographs of Parisian nightlifeare a fascinating glimpse into the late-19th century French capital.
It’s sometimes called silkscreen because traditionally silk was used in the technique.
Screen printing is very versatile because the stencil can be made out of a wide variety of materials.
The stencil is then fixed to the screen and then its entire surface is coated in a photo-reactive chemical.
This serves to fix the design to the mesh once it’s been exposed to UV light.
The stencils are then removed and the screen is cleaned.
A piece of paper is placed under the mesh on a special screenprinting table that holds everything in place.
Using a squeegee, a thick layer of ink is spread evenly across the mesh.
