TYPES OF PRINTS

For an art-buyer on a budget, prints are an excellent source of less-expensive art. This short glossary will introduce you to the basic catagories of prints.

Snow by Bryan Zmijewski

Aquatint

In aquatint, the artist paints the plate with aqua fortis, an acid. The acid eats into the metal, roughening it and making it better able to hold ink. The longer the acid remains on the plate, the darker the print will be in that region. This method produces prints that look very similar to paintings done with watercolors or India ink.

Drypoint

In drypoint the artist draws directly onto the plate using a hardened steel stylus which displaces the metal, producing a burr. The lines produced by this method of printing have a slightly fuzzy quality.

Engraving

Thin lines are created by using cutting or gouging tools to remove material from a metal plate. The engraved lines hold ink better than the surrounding areas so, when paper is pressed onto the plate, only the lines are transferred. Engraving was often used for illustrations in old books and newspapers.

Etching

In etching, the plate is covered with an acid-resistant material. The artist uses an etching needle to scrape through this protective covering and then dips the plate into an acid bath. The acid can only eat into the metal where the protective material has been removed.

Giclée

Giclée (jhee-clay) is from the French meaning, "to spray ink." In this method, an ink-jet printer is used to print an image, which has been digitally captured (or created directly on the computer). Unlike in offset lithography, where a dot pattern is visible, giclée offers continuous color.

Iris Print

see Giclée

Linoleum Print

To create a linoleum print, the artist takes a block of linoleum and carves out those areas that are to remain white. When ink is applied to the block, it can only cover those regions that are not recessed.

Lithograph

In lithography, which is unrelated to offset lithography, a greasy crayon is used to draw onto a flat stone, which is then covered with water. When ink is applied, it sticks to the crayon but is resisted by the water, allowing the transfer of the drawing.

Mezzotint

In Mezzotint, the artist starts by roughening the metal plate creating what would be a solid black ground. He or she then burnishes or otherwise smoothes the metal to create highlights.

Offset Lithograph

In Offset lithography, four metal plates are photographically etched and each plate is inked with either cyan, magenta, yellow, or black ink. Through the combination of these four colors, nearly any other color can be reproduced. If you look closely at an offset lithograph you will find that the image is composed of very small dots of color. This method is used to print posters, newspapers and magazines.

Photogravure

In photogravure a copper plate is etched using a photographic process. Rather than being composed of small dots as is the case with offset lithography, grays are created with fine parallel lines.

Serigraph

see Silkscreen

Silkscreen

In a silkscreen, ink is forced through a silk screen or other fine mesh onto the paper. Areas that are to be left unprinted are covered with a substance that blocks the passage of the ink through the screen.

Wood Block Print

To create a block print, the artist takes a block of linoleum and carves out those areas that are to remain white. When ink is applied to the block, it can only cover those regions that are not recessed.