WEEK 14 & 15 Lesson 3: Printmaking

 Printmaking is an artistic process based on the principle of

transferring images from a matrix onto another surface, most often

paper or fabric. Traditional printmaking techniques include woodcut,

etching, engraving, and lithography, while modern artists have

expanded available techniques to include screen printing.

Different types of Printmaking

 The oldest form of printmaking, woodcut is a relief process in which

knives and other tools are used to carve a design into the surface of

a wooden block. The raised areas that remain after the block has

been cut are inked and printed, while the recessed areas that are

cut away do not retain ink, and will remain blank in the final print.

 The wooden block is usually made from pear wood, which is sawn

along the grain and planed smooth. The block is then seasoned to

reduce the moisture content in the wood, which prevents warping

and cracking. The size of the woodblock is determined by the

image, but is ultimately limited by the size of the printing press.

This means that for a large-scale print, multiple blocks are cut and

printed separately, after which the image is assembled. Smaller

blocks are less likely to crack due to age or the pressure placed

upon them during the printing process. The thickness of the block is

also important for ease of use and the prevention of wear; the ideal

thickness is around one inch.

directly onto the surface of the block or a sketch can be pasted on

to it. Alternatively, the design can be transferred from a sheet of

paper directly onto the surface of the block by applying chalk or

graphite to the back of the sheet. The design is then placed onto

the surface of the block and its lines are traced by the printmaker

with a stylus, which transfers the chalk and the thus the design onto

the block.

 Woodblocks are most often cut by a professional block cutter, who

uses a chisel, gouge, or knife to carefully cut away sections of the

block that will not receive ink.

1. Engraving

 Engraving is an intaglio printmaking process in which lines are cut into

a metal plate in order to hold the ink. In engraving, the plate can be

made of copper or zinc.

 The metal plate is first polished to remove all scratches and

imperfections from the surface so that only the intentional lines will be

printed. When making an engraving, the printmaker incises or cuts a

composition directly into the surface of a metal plate using a sharp

tool, known as a burin: a steel shaft ending in a beveled diamond-

shaped tip that is set into a rounded wooden handle

 The printmaker holds the burin by placing the wooden handle against

the palm of their hand and grips the shaft with their thumb and third
 finger. The burin is then set to engage with the surface of the plate.

When pressure is applied, the burin cuts away a thin layer of the metal

to create a recessed line or groove in the plate. Cutting into the plate

also results in the displacement of a thin curl of metal residue.

 Different sizes of burins can affect the size of the lines; the pressure

the printmaker applies to the burin can also be used to create thinner

or thicker grooves in the plate. Creating smooth lines requires both

strength and control on the part of the printmaker.

 The metal plate is placed on a sandbag or pillow by the printmaker to

help manipulate and move the plate, especially when a composition

requires curved lines.

 To enhance a purely linear composition with tone, the printmaker

applies a system of hatching—lines, dots, and dashes, among other

kinds of markings, placed close together to create denser areas in the

print that hold more ink. The closer the marks are placed together, the

darker those areas will appear. The printmaker must take care not to

cut the lines or the markings too closely together so that the ink does

not bleed between them.

 Once the full composition has been cut into the plate, it is ready to be

inked. A cloth ball, cardboard tab, or equivalent material is used to

gently spread ink across the whole face of the plate; the same material

is used to remove most of the excess ink from the surface. The plate is

further cleaned using a tarlatan rag (heavily starched cheesecloth)

 Etching is an intaglio printmaking process in which lines or areas

are incised using acid into a metal plate in order to hold the ink. In

etching, the plate can be made of iron, copper, or zinc.

 To prepare the plate for etching, it is first polished to remove all

scratches and imperfections from the surface. When the surface is

completely smooth, it is covered evenly with a layer of acid-

resistant varnish or wax, which is called the ground.

3. Screenprint

 Screenprinting is a process where ink is forced through a mesh screen

onto a surface. Making certain areas of the screen impervious to

printing ink creates a stencil, which blocks the printing ink from

passing through the screen. The ink that passes through forms the

printed image.

 A printing screen consists of a fine mesh fabric that is tightly stretched

and attached to a metal or wooden frame. Traditionally these screens

were made of silk, but today they are most often made of synthetic

materials such as terylene.

 Stencils—which can be composed of a wide variety of materials,

including fabric, greasy paint, or a design on a transparency—can be

applied to the screen in different ways: placing them directly onto the

surface of the screen, painting them onto the screen, or by transferring

a design onto the screen using a photo-sensitive emulsion. The

sensitive emulsion is the most common contemporary method to

prepare a screen. Designs can be made by any or a combination of the

following ways: hand-drawn with an opaque ink or printed onto the

transparency, or cut out of rubylith, an ultraviolet-masking film.