Printmaking is an artistic process where images from a matrix are transferred onto another surface, typically paper, board or fabric. In simple terms, a matrix can be defined as a template made of materials like wood, metal, linoleum or even glass. The design is created on the matrix by manipulating its flat surface with tools or chemicals and then applying a suitable ink or something similar.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, the earliest recorded example of printmaking dates back to a stone rubbing from the Han Dynasty in China, which extended from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. The first authenticated prints rubbed from woodblocks were thought to be Buddhist charms printed in Japan somewhere around 764 to 770 CE. Meanwhile, it is assumed that the first woodblock prints onto textiles were made by the Egyptians in the 6th or 7th century.
The artistic process of printmaking is as varied as it is old. There are always variations on a theme in all fields of the arts, and printmaking is no exception. There could be dozens of forms of the artform that have been developed by printmakers over the centuries, but most people pursue their passion within the following broad categories.
- Relief is the form of printmaking where an image is printed from a design that is raised on the surface of a block. The template is created by simply using tools to cut away the parts of the block the artist does not want to appear in the design. Those parts that are left have ink applied to them; in this form of printmaking, the ink lies on the top of the block and is transferred to the paper under light pressure. The most common examples of relief printmaking are linocut and woodcut.
- Intaglio printmaking is the opposite of relief printing. It consists of the image being printed from a recessed design that is incised or etched into the surface of a plate. The ink lies below the surface of the plate and is transferred to the paper under pressure through the use of an intaglio press. This heavy press has a flat, metal bed that is suspended between two rollers; blankets are often used to spread the pressure and help push the dampened paper into the deeper areas of the upturned plate. Popular examples of intaglio printmaking include etching, aquatint, engraving, and collagraph.
- Lithography is a printing process where images are drawn directly onto a flat stone or metal plate. The image areas are worked using a greasy substance so that the ink will adhere to them, while the non-image areas are made ink-repellent. A characteristic of this type of print is a crayon-like texture or a traditional ink line-and-wash drawing.
- Serigraphy is often referred to as screen printing, and this is usually the form of printmaking we were first introduced to. That’s because screen printing is a popular activity during art classes at school. In this process, a flat implement like a squeegee forces ink through a stencil and directly onto paper, board or fabric underneath. Screen printing is popular with commercial artists printing on fabric and large posters, and does not require a press.
Printmaking has a long past and a rosy future. This New Zealand arts and craft retailer says demand for their printmaking products continues to grow. The versatility of the art form, and the opportunity to experiment with all the different forms, has a lot to do with its enduring popularity.
