Page 74 - Art Attack Gr 9 LB SKU1007

PRINTMAKING

The design process of printmaking has been used throughout history to create illustrations and
posters, and later on T-shirts and branded products. It is not a direct way of making an image. In
other words, you do not work straight onto the paper to make a mark or to create a drawing. It is an
indirect way of image making. A printmaker works onto or carves into a piece of wood, lino, metal
or stone. This is called the plate or block, depending on its thickness. The block or plate is inked up
and printed – the image that appears is normally the invert of the original (it appears backwards – as
if a mirror image). A set of almost identical prints can be created called a “multiple.” Dipping objects
into ink or thick paint and stamping them onto the paper can also make prints.
The designer will decide the number of prints that will be printed of each work. A number of identical
prints will form “an edition.” The printmaker will also print “artist proof prints” which are also
identical. The number of artist’s proofs is equal to 10% of the edition – so if the edition consists of 20
prints then there will be additional two artist’s proofs. Trial prints, are prints that show changes that
the artist has made to the design before printing the final edition of prints. The printmaker should keep
records of how many prints have been printed. The artist should sign all original prints in pencil.

There are four basic printmaking methods:
1) Relief printing:
This is probably the oldest form of printmaking as it was
used by the ancient Chinese, Greeks and Romans.
Here the printmaker cuts into the piece of wood, lino,
masonite or stone with sharp bladed tools. These areas
are removed, creating a design. All the areas that are
left at the original level, those that have not been cut
away, receive the ink and create the design to be
printed on the paper. The image created looks
two-dimensional, it is striking and bold with no
in-between tones, and the marks/lines that are created
are crude and unrefined due to the technique used. After Walter Battiss “Boys collecting wild fruit”, linocut.

After Cecil Skotnes “Wolraad Woltemade,” coloured woodcut

Artifact Publications and Training 2015 68