glossary
scroll down for information about
what is printmaking?
how is it done?
some printmaking techniques
signing and numbering a print
glossary: aquatint,a la poupe, artist proof, bleed print, Bellata method, collaged multi-plate colour etching, colour proof, drypoint, edition, etching, embossing, hand colouring, hard-ground etching, ink, ink applicators, ink coloured, inking relief, inking intaglio, island print, lift ground, masked island print, monoprint, monotype, multi-plate colour etching, numbering, paper-wipe, open bite, photographic etching, plate, plate tone, plate mark, proof, printer's proof, printing press, the printing process, relief printing, selective wiping, signing the print, solar plate etching, soft ground etching, state proof, tarlatan, unique state.
what is printmaking?
Printmaking is a type of original handmade artwork, like painting or drawing, except is is created specifically in multiples.
Traditional printmaking has a strong handmade element, where the plate (or block or screen etc) that holds the image for printing is usually both created and then printed by hand. Prints as artwork have a limited edition and are usually numbered and signed somewhere visible.
The word "print" can also mean an image printed on or by a machine such as a commercial printer, desktop printer or in a photograhic studio. Often these are not original "artworks" but "reproductions" even though photography, for example, is a recognised artform.
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how is it done?
The simplest form of printmaking is drypoint. An image is scratched into a thin piece of metal or plastic. Ink is scraped all over the plate and into the scratches. The excess ink is wiped off. The plate is then printed onto a sheet of damp paper by feeding both through a press that looks like an old fashioned mangle thus squeezing the ink out of the scratches. The process of inking and printing is repeated for each individual print. Printmaking is a medium that can mimic any form of painted or drawn mark.
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some printmaking techniques
Images can be
- hand carved from a block of lino or wood (lino or wood block print)
- scratched into a sheet of plastic, cardboard or metal (engraving or drypoint)
- chemically etched by acid into the surface of a metal plate (etching)
- drawn or painted using a greasy pencil or paint onto a stone block (lithograph)
- painted onto a taut screen of silk (screenprint)
- built up from a collage of various surfaces (collogragh)
Each process results in a different sort of mark. The artist will often have a favourite and will sometimes use several different techniques to create the result he or she desires. The decision whether to make an image as a print or a painting, is simply another part of the creative process for the artist as he or she decides which is the best medium for telling his or her particular story.
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signing and numbering the image
Each individual artwork is signed by the artist, usually on the front, often with a title, and includes a number that indicates how many prints are in the edition. For example 15/30 is the commitment by the artist that there are only 30 prints made, that they are all the same or very similar to each other, and that this print is number 15 out of 30. Sometimes an artist will sell his or her “artist proof” (AP),“colour proof” (CP) or “state proof” (SP). A state proof is when a practice print is good, but not how the artist intends the rest of the edition to appear. These prints outside the edition have a higher perceived value, likewise prints from the beginning of the edition such as 1/50. The number of prints in an edition will also impact on the price/value.
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glossary
| aquatint | To create areas of tone on an etching printed from a metal plate, the surface of the plate needs to be finely pitted to hold the ink. Traditionally, powdered rosin was melted onto the plate which, when etched, creates a bumpy surface that will hold more ink than a series of etched lines. Different areas are etched more than others and the result is darker or lighter tonal areas. Other methods of creating an aquatint include using powdered bitumen or spraying liquid hard ground or enamel paint onto the plate before etching as usual.
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| a la poupe (wiping) |
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| artist proof |
Within an edition of prints there are several that are part of the edition but annotated differently in order to describe their position in the process. The "artist proof" is the first print in the edition and is the one that the artist will usually keep for his or her own collection. "Artist proof" is written as A.P. and placed in the bottom right hand corner where the editioning details are written. There may be up to 10% of the edition signed as A.P. and each one often has a higher perceived value when the artist sells it. |
| bleed print |
When the printed image goes to the edge of the paper it is printed on it's called a bleed print. In printmaking this is done by using paper that is smaller than the plate it is printed from. |
| Bellatta method | While working with students at Bellata Primary School in 2008, Christine developed a method of creating a simple drypoint plate that would suit school students. return to top |
| collaged multi-plate colour etching |  Christine has a number of etching editions where she has selected from already printed etchings to construct new images. These include the cotton monoprints and the third day of Christmas (pictured, none available) return to top |
| colour proof |
A proof is an experiment too different from the rest of the edition to be considered part of it - if it is a colour experiment then it is called a colour proof. |
| drypoint | One of the simplest forms of creating a plate for printing is drypoint which involves using a sharp tool for scratching into a flat surface. Traditionally the surface was copper, though now any metal, plastic or indeed waxed cardboard or paper plate may be used (with varying successes and editioning results). To identify a drypoint print, look for either very fine line or heavy thick lines created by the "burr" that captures more ink. |
| edition |  A group of prints, all the same or similar to each other, printed from the same block, stone, plate or screen is called an edition. Image: the Hadrian's wall walk IV from the Hadrian's wall series.return to top |
| etching | A method of making a plate for printing that was once called "the Rembrandt method". It involves laying a protective surface of wax over the surface of a metal plate. After drawing through the wax, the now partially exposed plate is dipped into a bath of acid, thus etching the image. Because, historically, the etching was usually a line drawing, many people confuse the term " etching " for a "sketching ". To identify an etched line in a print, look for a sharply defined drawn line that appears to be slightly embossed/debossed. Usually the plate mark is visible too, especially in traditionally made images. There is a number of different types of waxy materials that, when etched, will create different marks. These include soft-ground and hard-ground. return to top |
| embossing |  The plate can be put through the press without any ink: the pressure of the press forcing the paper into any indentations on the plate. |
| hand colouring |  Prints may be painted after the etching has been printed rather than using coloured ink at the printing stage. Usually transparent watercolour is the favoured medium so that the etched lines retain their integrity.return to top |
| hard ground etching |  Hard ground is the traditional medium of etching. In liquid form, it is applied to the surface of the metal plate. Carbon is added to the waxy preparation by "smoking it" with a candle flame that creates a finely textured, sturdy surface that can be drawn through using a stylus. The end result mimics a pen and ink mark. return to top |
| ink |  Etching ink is oil based though there are water based etching inks available. There are many other materials that may be used instead of ink, including oil paint or oil pastels, even watercolour paint: each with its own result. |
| ink applicators |  Full Moon Editions uses matt board offcuts to apply the ink to the plates, however oil painting brushes are also used as a dolly for areas that need more attention return to top |
| ink (coloured) |  Each ink has its own characteristics, for example bone black gives the most accurate reading of the marks on the plate, sepia will create a smear of plate tone no matter how well wiped it is. All the information that an artist knows about colour theory and mixing applies to working with coloured inks in printmaking. Image: two of the three plates that make Christine's multi-plate colour etching It's your move from the other people's treasures suite. return to top |
| inking relief | Most of the printing techniques that Christine uses in her etchings involve the ink being printed from the scratches of the plate surface - see inking intaglio. However by using a roller, the ink can be applied to the surface of the plate leaving the scratched or etched marks un-inked. A combination roll involves inking intaglio as well as a relief roll at the same time. |
| inking intaglio |
The word intaglio is an Italian word to do with the "scratches" that are "incised" into a surtace. Using card or other applicators, the ink is pushed into the scratched or etched marks on the plate. Traditionally everything but those marks were wiped clean resulting in a defined line. The use of selective wiping, plate tone and the acceptance of the hand of the printer in the mark making process has changed that. (see monoprint). return to top |
| island print |
An island print is one where the image is printed with the plate mark showing, simply an image with a "sea" of paper around it. This is the most common way of printing an etching. |
| lift ground |  A metal plate is prepared with a layer of soft ground which, when put through the press, will hold an impression of a (thin) found object that can then be etched. image: an unused proof in the I saw a flower in my garden suite of etchings return to top |
| masked island print |  Christine has refined this method of masking sections of the inked plate during the printing process. The composition saves cutting the plate. Image: down at the shed VIII , which , along with the other seven in that suite were masked island prints from the larger etching shearing shed near Talwood, one of the shed etchings. |
| .monoprint |
When the artist puts the ink onto the plate with little or no regard for the etched lines- the resulting artwork is a repeated painted or hand-drawn mark of the printer rather than a record of the scratched or etched lines on the plate. Many of Christine's works are technically monoprints because of her use of plate tone and selective wiping that supplement the etched lines on the plates she prints from. This is why there are often degrees of colour and wiping variations within Christine's editions. She has decided that it is about a degree of sameness rather than a degree of difference which is the deciding factor for a print's inclusion or exclusion from an edition. return to top |
| monotype | The difference between and monotype and a monoprint is that a monotype is when the artist puts the ink onto a blank plate that has no etched or scratched lines on it. |
| multi-plate colour etching |   Most of Christine's etchings are multi-plate colour etchings, and for her understanding of this method she would like to acknowledge the patience of Basil Hall in the formative years. The process involves using two, three or four plates, with different scratched or etched information on each. Each plate is inked up with a different colour and printed one on top of the other so that the information in each blends with the others. Using marks on the base sheet helps accurracy of registration, though this is not important to all artists. The image may be designed either like the sort of RGB colour separation that the photographic industry uses, or by creating a key plate in one main colour with the other plates supplying secondary information. images: left) christmas beetle colour separation which was printed as a teaching tool showing the different plates. right) about to print the key plate over the first layer of colour on Don't let ...love.return to top |
| numbering | Once the print has been editioned, and those prints too different have been drafted out, the edition is numbered and recorded. The print number is placed in the botton left hand corner or on the back of the print. This is the contract between the artist and the consumer:1/50 indicates that there are 50 prints the same or similar to each other and that this is number one of that fifty. Often the earlier numbers in an edition are considered more valuable. The number may be replaced with other letters such as A.P. (artist's proof), S.P.(state proof), C.P. (colour proof), R.T.P (ready to print), P.P. (printer's proof) or the words unique, proof or others. These are all indicators of this particular print's position within the creation or printing process. There may be more than one artist proof and occasionally the whole "edition" is made up of col.var. (colour variations). return to top |
| paper-wipe |  There are many methods of wiping the inked plate to remove the excess ink. Tarlatan (starched muslin) is one method however other fabrics and tools produce different results. Often the plate is wiped with thin paper such as old phone book pages which removes more plate tone than fabric. When wiping some coloured inks clean tissue paper is a better option. |
| open bite |  If a metal plate is placed in acid with no resistant areas protecting it the plate will be bitten down in a relatively even manner. This is called open biting. Open biting can be used to clean a plate of foul bite or as the first layer of an etch to create a fine tone on the surface. If the plate has some area protected and a broad area left exposed, an open bite will create a steep ridge of metal where those two meet that will print as a strong line. The yellow line in this etching is the result of an open bite. Image: handshears (detail) no longer available.return to top |
| photographic etching | In this case the word "photographic" has to do with the word "light" rather than the photographic process that we now know. A protective layer of U.V. sensitive plastic is either applied to the surface of the metal plate at the factory or in the studio. Exposed to U.V. light; the surface changes. A clear film with an opaque drawing on it (photocopy, chinagraph pencil, found objects etc) is laid over the plate before exposure leaving parts of the surface unaffected by the UV light. These unaffected areas are washed out in mild chemical, thus exposing parts of the plate which is etched as usual. Solar plate etching is slightly different in that the photosensitive surface is such that when the plate is exposed it is robust enough to not require further etching in acid. return to top |
| plate | A plate is any thin material with a surface that can be incised or changed (indeed some appropriated plates are printed as is). Metal, plastic, waxed cardboard, store bought paper drypoint plate, found surfaces, appropriated surfaces - the list is endless. |
| plate tone |  Plate tone is the oily residue that is left on the surface of the plate when it hasn't been wiped clean. Traditionally the inked etching plate was wiped clean except for that ink in the scratched or etched mark, however leaving a smear of ink on the plate results in a fine even tone that is like laying a wash in watercolour, or a glaze in oil painting. Traditionally it was created by a hand wiping the plate, however workplace issues preclude that as a method of wiping in most contemporary studios. image: state proof from the etching baker's dozen date (none available) showing the smear of plate tone printing as a gentle even tone beyond the etched linereturn to top |
| plate mark | The plate mark is the visible embossed edge on the final print that shows the shape of the plate. On an island print this is one of the ways that might indicate that it is an etching, however any embossing could be added after printing, or in the case of the masked island print or bleed print the plate mark isn't visible on the finished print. return to top |
| proof | Sometimes a print will be numbered and exhibited with the word "proof" instead of an edition number. This indicates that the print is part of the development phase of the etching resolution rather than part of the edition. It may include the words colour proof, state proof, state. |
| printer's proof (PP) |
If an edition is printed by someone other than the artist - a master printer or editioning printer - it is normal practice for that printer to recieve a signed print from outside the numbered part of the edition. |
| printing press |
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| the printing process | The inked plate is carefully laid, face up, onto the marked base sheet. Damp paper is placed on top of the plate. The blankets are placed down, the thinnest (the catcher blanket) closest to the bed/plate. The pressure having been tested before printing, the bed is rolled through pressing the ink out of the scratches onto the paper which is now embossed, too, with the shape of the plate. And then it starts all over again. return to top |
| relief printing | Using a roller, the ink is rolled over the surface of the plate or block leaving the scratched or etched marks empty of ink. The softness of the roller and the viscosity of the ink will create differing results. A relief roll can be used in conjunction with an intaglio wipe to add a flat layer of colour over the already inked scratches. |
| selective wiping |  Selective wiping is also called dolly wiping or wiping a la poupe. Image: dotty girl from the artist book yet to be released.return to top |
| signing the print | The artist usually signs and dates the work below the print on the bottom right hand side if it is created or displayed as an island print. If the print is sold and displayed as a bleed print the signature and numbering will be on the back of the print. It is customary for the print to be dated as well. return to top |
| solar plate etching |  There are many prepared plates on the market that are thick enough so that when they are partially exposed to the sun, then washed out in water, create deep lines that can be inked intaglio or relief. For more information look at the entry on this page about photographic etching. |
| soft ground etching |  Soft ground is applied to a metal plate to protect it from acid. It differs from hard ground in that it stays soft after application. Various methods are used to remove areas of the ground to make the image which produces a mark that mimics, when printed, a pencil mark. A lift ground also uses soft ground. Image: in the shed (detail) no longer available.return to top |
| state proof | The print goes through a number of states before it is completed - the artist creating "test" prints as she or he resolves the image. Sometimes the artist is happy with work from the development stage and will exhibit or sell it - indicated by S.P. or the words state, state proof or proof. return to top |
| tarlatan |  Starched muslin is the most common fabric used in wiping the excess ink from inked up intaglio plates. It is usually store-bought however variations in the wiping can be made by the printer starching his or her own muslin. |
| unique state | If a print is unique there is only one of them. It is a piece of artwork that uses printmaking techniques but is not in edition and may also be numbered 1/1. return to top |
The French word for "dolly" is poupe. In printmaking terms, a dolly is a wad of rag or tarlatan tied up that can be used to selectively place ink on, or wipe ink from, the plate. It allows the artist the freedom to extend the printing capabilities of the plate beyond the etched mark. Wiping a plate a la poupe is also known as dolly wiping or selective wiping. 
The paper is usually torn into a square or rectangular shape: less often, indeed hardly ever, a cut edge. Christine has created a number of editions where the paper is torn to an apparently random shape to add to the information implied in the image.
The etching press has two rollers through which is rolled a bed of steel or hard plastic under manually adjusted pressure. On the bed are blankets made of felt and/or woven wool of various thicknesses that temper the pressure. Full Moon Editions has an artequip B580 and a Richeson table press.