Printmaking

Printmaking is a process for producing multiple original pieces of artwork; painting, on the other hand, is a process for producing a single original piece of artwork. Prints are created from a single original surface, most commonly linoleum, metal or wood. Each print is considered an original work of art, not a copy. Works printed from a single plate create an edition, usually each signed and numbered. A single print could be the product of one or multiple presses.

Related Topics:
Process - Edition

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Printmakers work in a variety of mediums, including water based ink, water color paint, oil based ink, oil pastels, and any water soluble solid pigment such as Caron Dache crayons. The work is created on a flat surface called a plate. Depending on the process used to lift the print, artists either carve or draw into their surfaces. Printmaking techniques that utilize digital methods are becoming increaingly popular and in many markets are the chosen method.

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Surfaces used in printmaking include planks of wood, metal plates, a pane of plexiglass, shellacked book board, or flat stones. A separate technique called screenprinting makes use of a porous fabric mesh stretched in a frame, called a screen. Small prints can even be made using the surface of a potato.

Related Topics:
Plank - Plexiglass - Book board

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