printmaking

Printmaking

What is printmaking?

Printmaking is an art form that is hundreds of years old, dating back to 5th century China. It is the process by which impressions are created on a ground (usually paper) using a carved block, stencil, or other textured surface. Each of these impressions is considered an original piece due to the variability inherent in the printing process.

A photographic reproduction of an image using an inkjet printer is generally called a giclée and is an entirely different process from that discussed here.

What kind of printmaking do I do?

Relief printmaking is my preferred method. I carve a block, usually made of wood, rubber, or linoleum, and apply ink to the surface using a rubber roller called a brayer. The ink sits on the raised portions of the block, and the carved portions remain ink-free. I then lay a piece of paper over the block and rub the back of the paper using a tool called a baren, which is a circular object that distributes pressure more evenly than a bare hand. After some vigorous rubbing, I remove the paper and it is either hung or placed on a flat surface to dry.

Prints can also be made with a printing press, but presses are large and expensive, and I like the look of a hand-made print.

What constitutes a print run?

Depending upon the complexity and size of the print block, I generally make 10 to 50 prints. Each print is signed and labeled such that the number of the print and the total number of prints created is indicated. For example "7/30" indicates that the print is the seventh in a run of thirty prints. Once the print run is completed, the block is destroyed and no further prints will be made, ensuring the uniqueness of the first and only print run.

A print run may include a few hand-colored versions as well. These pieces are unique and are numbered separately from the larger print run. These are created at the same time as the larger print run, and no further hand-colored versions will be created once the run is completed.

You can have a look at my printmaking work here.

prints