Prints and Printmaking

I

Introduction

Prints and Printmaking, images made by a variety of duplicating processes, and the art of creating and reproducing them. There are two basic categories of prints: those that are made photomechanically, such as newspaper and magazine illustrations or reproductions of original works of art (such as paintings by the Old Masters) made for commercial purposes; and those created by hand for limited reproduction by techniques that require artistic skills and special materials.

II

Techniques of Printmaking

The graphic artist can use any of several hand-printing methods: relief, intaglio, planographic, monotype, or stencil.

A

Relief Printing

In relief printing, the artist carves the image into a block of wood, either as a woodcut or as a wood engraving.

A

1

Woodcut

This is the oldest method of printmaking. For centuries the basic technique of relief printing has consisted of cutting away certain parts of the surface of a block of wood so as to produce a printing surface in the shape of the desired image. Traditionally, fruitwoods such as cherry and pear are used rather than maple or oak, which are too hard for cutting. In the 20th century, artists have favoured softer woods, such as pine. The surface, first smoothed, may be toughened by treating it with a shellac, which makes it more durable under the pressure of a press and facilitates the carving of strong, bold images. The artist may paint or draw the image on the surface; the wood is cut away on either side of the drawn lines, so that the outline of the image stands proud of the surface of the block. In essence, this is a relief image.

A roller holding an oil-based ink is rolled completely over the block. A sheet of paper—ideally a highly absorbent type such as rice paper—is placed over the block, and the artist may then print the image by hand rubbing the surface with the bowl of a spoon or with any other burnishing instrument. The block and paper may also be run through a press; under the pressure of the press the image is transferred to the paper. The impression is pulled by carefully lifting a corner of the paper and peeling it off the block. For colour woodcuts, separate blocks are used, one block being made for each colour.