P R O C E S S

(Although there are many other printmaking techniques, these are the methods that I primarily use in my studio.)

 

 

Relief Printing

A printing process in which the impression is created by the uncarved areas creating a raised relief image.

The cut, or incised, areas do not usually print, since they are recessed and are rarely inked. WOODCUT

and LINOCUT are usually used for relief printing.

 

Lino

An abbreviation of linoleum cut. The technique is a derivation of the woodcut but using instead linoleum

mounted on a wood block or backed in burlap for a subtler surface. The material takes all types of lines,

but is most suited to large designs with contrasting dark and light flat tints. The material is cut with small

pen-like tools which have a variety of forms: straight and rounded edge, double-pointed, as a chisel or a

V-shaped chisel, etc. As on a woodcut, the relief parts of the block are inked. 

 

Monotype 

A design is drawn in ink or paint on any smooth surface. While the ink or paint is still wet, a piece of paper

is laid on top of it and pressure applied, either with a press or by hand. The process, by its name, is meant

to produce a single impression, but there is sometimes enough damp ink left on the plate surface to make

a second, weaker, impression.

 

Intaglio

 A printing process in which the image is incised or etched into a metal plate using a variety of techniques and tools. It is the opposite of relief printing as the image lies below the surface rather than on the raised surface. The paper must be wet when printed under pressure to push the paper into the fine lines and pick up the ink.

 

Etching and Drypoint 

Etchings are done through covering a metal plate with protective ground material and scratching the image through to expose the metal. Then the plate is submerged in acid to create the lines later to be inked and printed. A Drypoint is carved directly into the metal plate with no ground or acid but gives the image a ragged edge caused by the burrs in the metal. 

 

A Solar or photo etching plate is a non-toxic medium that produces results similar to the fine lines produced in traditional acid etchings. Photo etching plates can be exposed to a variety of film media: photographic transparencies (traditional darkroom, digital, or photocopy transparency) or images hand drawn on textured acetate, or combinations of both. After exposure, the plates are developed, etched in water then printed on an etching press.

 

Lithography - Polyester or Pronto Plate 

Polyester plate lithography is a non-toxic alternative to traditional stone lithography. The image is transferred to the plate by hand or by laser printer. The plate can then be inked and printed with a traditional etching press.

 

Chin Colle

Areas of thin colored tissue / rice paper mounted (collage or Collé) on or glued to the surface of a print. Frequently combined with etching, lithography and linocut, the ink of the plate glues the thin paper to the paper as the print is run through the press.