AP / STUDIO ART


CURRENT STUDIO ART ASSIGNMENTS
PRINTMAKING: READ 1st

Printmaking as a method of creating imagery has been in practice since the Byzantine era. Printmaking was developed in Europe and China and perhaps separately in Egypt. Printmaking methods most commonly uses papers as a supports but fabrics and textiles are also created this way to this day. Batik is actually a resist and dye printmaking method.

The process of printmaking uses a matrix/substrate or plate to create the image on. Printmaking processes include a huge range of these methods. The printing process lends itself to painterly practice as the techniques include a huge variety of mark making techniques.

Printmaking can be broken down into the following categories:

  • Relief: the image is lifted from the raised surface of the matrix such as wood blocks or lino cuts or stamps
  • Intaglio: (pronouced in-TAHL-ee-oo) the image is incised into the matrix with an etched line, aquatint, drypoint, engraving or created with colagraphic techinques. The ink is then squeezed into the recessed areas. The high surface of the matrix or plate is wiped clean, then printed.
  • Lithography: The matrix is a flat surface that will receive a greasy medium such as lithocrayon or touche. After the drawing is complete the matrix surface is etched with acid to desensitize the portions that have not been drawn on. This acid wash allows the ink to stick only to the drawing portions of the matrix so that the image can be pulled from it. This process is how newspapers used to be made.
  • Silkscreening: Also known as Serigraphy - the matrix is a fine mesh fabric. Methods of creating imagery include masking, emulsion films, stencils and light sensitive films for photo printing techniques.
  • Monotype: The matrix is a smooth, flat surface such as glass or copper. Inks or paint are placed in the surface and manipulated with brushes, solvents and other tools. The image is then pulled from the plate. The 1st pull is considered the best one but often the artist pulls more, the second pull being called the “ghost” print. The artist uses stencils, collage and drawing techniques to embellish the prints. They are considered one of a kind. This technique is one of the most painterly methods of printmaking as it is a spontaneous combination of printmaking, painting, and drawing. Gelatin prints would be considered Monotypes.
  • Monoprint: The matrix is a relief, screen or intaglio but instead of printing a series of carefully pulled images that are similar in quality the artist makes purposeful adjustments to color, ink viscosity, stencils, color or supports. The idea is that, although the original image is the same, the artist uses it as a jump off place to create unique renditions of the same image – Chin'e coll'e is when the artist places very fine transparent papers onto the inked substrate just prior to printing. The paper pieces are integrate into the print.

The list of professional artists who have used printmaking as a creative process is huge and contemporary artists are no different. New methods are being developed all the time by practicing artists today. Printmaking is an expansive field that just keeps adapting, combining and adopting new media. Artists such as Picasso, Rembrant, Durer, VanGogh, Munch, de Kooning, Dali, Escher, Miro, Lichtentein, Warhol, Riley and, Goya is a very short list of a few of the greats.

Keep and open and exploratory mind. A well running fine art print shop is full of activity, collaboration and experiments. Share!!!! Express what you discover. Write notes on your work and pin them up in your work space so that others can LEARN TOO!


Mandatory Academic Studies

  • Explore the printmaking Pinterest Board
    note at least 2 links that are not mandatory on this sheet that you followed up on
  • watch the “Shepard Fairy Video” AS A CLASS on LONG DAY
    (note how many print processes he uses and the way the print shop in NYC is set up)



  • on your own watch the speed lino cut video by wheelermyt


  • read the vocabulary list in the back of the black, hard cover printmaking book “Basic Printmaking Techniques” by Bernard Toale take note of ALL highlighted words...YES you will have to know them
  • read the hand out “how to sign prints” before you pull any of your own original work

Mandatory Studio Work:
  • create and print one small colagraph sample
  • create and print one small e-z cut, lino or sticky print relief print sample
  • create and print one small intaglio print sample (dry point on mylar or plexi)
  • create and print a series of at least 6 small gelatin print samples
  • (I will be experimenting with foil lithography / if I can get it to work well you will be doing one these also)

Final Printmaking Images
  • any subject matter
  • any printmaking method
  • must be at least 6x9
  • must have an edition of at least 10 OR a series of 10 (monotypes or prints)
  • focus on composition, mark making, art elements and design principles

HOW TO LABEL AND SIGN YOUR PRINTMAKING WORK
What is an edition?
When all the prints are created from the matrix to be identical, this is called an ‘Edition’. The artist generally limits the edition to a certain number of their choice. He or she then indicates in pencil (usually in the bottom left hand corner) the number of each individual piece and the total number of copies in the edition, for example, 5/40.

Marking / Signature Categories:
Bon à tirer
Every edition has what is called the Bon à tirer (the best of the edition). There is only one of these as it is the final one of the Artist’s Proofs, the model of perfection which the whole edition will be identical to.
Generally, once the printing of the whole edition is over, the artist destroys the matrix so that no additional prints can be made.
Hors de Comerce (H/C)
Occasionally you can come across prints marked with H/C. This stands for Hors de Comerce, or “Not for Sale”. These are prints made extra to the edition and the artist’s proofs that the artist intended to give away as presents or simply not for sale. Given the fact that there are very few of these, over time and especially if the artist becomes famous, the Hors de Comerce prints have a higher commercial and collectors value than those within the numbered edition.
The artist’s proofs
While the artist is the creator if the matrix, which is the fundamental part of the artwork in printmaking, it is not uncommon for the actual printing to be done by an editorial. However, the first few prints are made at least in the presence of the artist who can then make any necessary modifications or changes to the matrix. These prints are called the artist’s proofs. Each one is considered a unique and one-of-a-kind artwork and has a higher commercial value than the rest of the edition. Generally they make up between 5% and 10% of the total edition number. Therefore the edition may be 100 and there are 10 artists proofs totaling 110 images all together. The proofs are marked with roman numerals, for example: II/V (second of the 5 total proofs).
Trial Proofs
The trial proofs are the most valuable proofs and do not form part of the edition. These proofs are used by the artist while he or she is conceptualizing the artwork and therefore show, step by step how the print was created. The artist may have tried to see how the artwork would look with a different color combination or added to the composition and printed it to see how it would look. Then they may have made final modifications based on this before declaring the matrix finished. These prints are the most highly valued and sort after by collectors.
The value of fine art prints..
The matrix deteriorates slightly each time it is used so a print marked 1/40 is usually more valuable and of better quality than one marked 39/40. In valuing fine art prints you should also take into consideration the total number of the edition. A smaller edition number is always more valuable than a larger one, as there are less pieces circulating and in existence. It is mostly up to the artist how many pieces they will print for any one edition. However, some printmaking techniques are restrictive in themselves: for example, the technique of dry point does not allow for more than about 20 pieces.
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