What is printmaking? What is the history of the diversification of printmaking?

In this day and age, it may be hard to remember a time when art was not immediately available. There were no on-call prints or posters that people could easily obtain and hang on their walls. Printmaking changed that; artists were suddenly able to reproduce an image multiple times, thus making their work more accessible to a wide audience.? So what is printmaking? This artistic practice transfers ink from a substrate to a material-usually papermaking-to make multiple copies of the same image. The substrate can be made of different materials, including wood, sheet metal, linoleum, aluminum, or fabric. While there are different printmaking techniques (each with its own unique characteristics), the end result is the ability to produce several impressions of a single image.? In modern times, prints are issued in editions. Each edition will have a limited number of impressions, although artists sometimes issue public editions. Once the print is finished, the matrix is destroyed and each impression is considered an original work of art. Traditionally, once prints take off, prints are also often used to illustrate books or small bound collections for sale.? To get an idea of what is possible with prints, let's take a look at some of the most popular traditional and modern printmaking techniques. Woodcutting, engraving and etching all techniques have a long history, even dating back to the 5th century AD. Popular modern techniques include photolithography and screen printing. We will explore each technique to understand how printmaking has influenced art. Woodcut "Kameido's Plum Garden" by Hiroshige, 1857. Woodcuts have a long and rich history as the oldest form of printmaking. Also known as woodblock printing, it is widely used in Asia. The technique originated in China, where it was used to print on textiles.? This type of relief printmaking is created by carving designs into thick blocks of wood. The design can either be drawn directly onto the block of wood, onto a piece of paper, glued to the wood, or transferred to the wood. The image is then rendered using knives, chisels and gouges. For large prints, multiple blocks are used and the image is assembled together during the printing process. Ink is rolled over the entire block, with the raised portions retaining the ink, and the image is then transferred to paper.? Woodblock printing has a special significance in Japan, and its unique aesthetics form a type of print called kujo-e. Produced between the 17th and 19th centuries, these prints depicted a cultural story through the depiction of landscapes, sumo wrestlers, beautiful women, and scenes from folk history. Great artists, such as Hiroji and Kitayama, creators of the Chiron of Kanagawa, emerged during this period. These prints would greatly influence Western perceptions of Japan and had a profound effect on artists like Van Gogh and Monet. Engraving "Melencolia I", by Albrecht Dürer, 1511. Type of engraved intaglio print where the image is cut into metal plates using a tool called a Burin. It was popular in 15th-century Europe and was originally seen as an extension of the goldsmith's decorative silver work.? Copper and zinc were the two most commonly used materials. They were polished to a lustrous shine and then Burin was used to create fine lines across the surface. Beryl was a steel shaft with a sharp, angled tip that was fixed to a wooden handle. Different sizes of burnished chambers allow the carver to create lines of different widths. Skilled artists could also make curves, using hatching and points to give dimension and shading to the work.? Once the board is fully carved, it is covered in ink and a ball of cloth is used to gently press the ink into the grooves. The excess ink was then washed away so that when the plate was run under a heavy press, the pressure would cause the ink in the lines to transfer to the paper.? The German artist Albrecht Durer was one of the master engravers. In the 15th and 16th centuries, his prints were an extension of his drawings and paintings. Durer's prints are very fine, proving that complex and detailed drawings can be skillfully executed as engravings. Etching of Rembrandt's "Self-Portrait Leaning on a Piece of Ground" of 1639. Another type of intaglio print, etching dates back to the 3rd century B.C., when the technique was used to cut designs for jewelry. Its popularity in printmaking arose in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, eventually overtaking engraving as a preferred method.? Etching uses copper, iron or zinc plates as the base material. Once the plate was polished and free of imperfections, a layer of acid-resistant wax was applied to the surface. Then, using a pen called an etching needle, the artist draws their pattern in the wax by exposing the metal. After the stretching is complete, the plate is either dipped in acid or poured over the entire surface.? The acid erodes the exposed lines, creating grooves. The printer controls the depth of these lines, depending on how long the acid is on the plate. To create different depths of grooves - producing lighter or deeper lines - parts of the plate can be bathed in acid at different times. This gives the plate an interesting tonal quality.? Once the acid has worked its magic, the wax is removed and the plate is inked in the same way as an engraving. When passed through the press, the lines are transferred to the paper. Etching surpassed engraving in popularity because it was much easier, except for the chemicals that had to be used. The use of berlin requires considerable skill, and even novice artists can work with the pen to produce a satisfactory design.? Rembrandt was especially known for his etchings. This old Dutch master turned etching into a new and relatively unknown art form. He managed to use his prints to achieve international fame at a time when most of his paintings never left the Netherlands, and he is still considered one of the greatest etchers of all time.? Photogravure "Ambassador Aristide Brut" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1892.? Toward the end of the 18th century, a new printmaking technique became popular. Photolithography, which relied on the fact that oil and water did not mix, was created by a German actor as an inexpensive way to produce theater pieces.? To create a lithograph, the artist started with stone slabs, known as limestone, or metal plates usually made of zinc or aluminum. This artist begins by drawing their image on the slab with an oil-based crayon or ink. When finished, the entire slab is covered in a mixture of gum arabic and acid, which brings the drawing to the surface. It also penetrates the parts of the stone that are not covered in the drawing, creating a layer that will absorb the water and repel the ink.? Once the solution is removed from the slab, the lines of the drawing are also erased. It is then treated with water, which is absorbed into the blank area. This ensures that when the ink is placed on the layout, it will only adhere to the lines of the initial drawing. At this point, a damp piece of paper is laid on the plate, which is then filled with a piece of cardboard and several sheets of newsprint. A plate press applies equal pressure to the plate and transfers the image. For multi-color lithographs, the same paper is run over different stones and the printmaker takes care to align the image.? Toulouse-Lautrec is a prime example of an artist who takes full advantage of this new technology. Colorful Paris Nightlife lithographs are fascinating glimpses of the French capital at the end of the 19th century. Silkscreen printing? Screen printing as we know it today was pioneered in the early 20th century. It is sometimes referred to as silk screen because traditionally silk was used in this technique. The process of making prints requires a grid that is used to transfer ink onto a surface unless it is blocked by a stencil containing a pattern. Silk printing was pioneered in China, where it was used during the Song Dynasty, and then spread to Europe once silk mesh was readily available there.? Silk screen printing is very versatile because molds can be made from a wide variety of materials. The stencil is then fixed to the screen and the entire surface is then coated with a photoactive chemical. This helps to correct the design of the mesh once it is exposed to UV light. The template is then removed and the screen is cleaned.? A sheet of paper is placed under the grid on a special screen printing table which keeps everything in its proper place. Using a squeegee, a thick layer of ink is spread evenly across the grid. Once the screen is opened, it is possible to see a direct impression of the stencil on the paper. To create a multicolor screen print, create different stencils and the printer must be careful to align the paper each time a new color passes through the screen.? Screen printing is culturally popular because at its core it is a fairly simple and affordable printing technique that can be used to produce everything from zines to album covers to t-shirts.