Art Prints - Lithography And Drypoint
The first mechanical reproductions were prints made in about the 5th century. Such prints allowed an artist to distribute many copies of his or her work, with few or no differences between the copies. This article details visual qualities and techniques involved in five kinds of art prints.
The oldest form of printmaking is the woodcut. Originally, these art prints were created when an artist drew a sketch on a block of wood, and then cut away all parts of the wood that were not to be inked. Ink was then rolled onto the block of wood, sticking to it only on the raised sections of the drawing. After inking, the block could be pressed onto a sheet of paper to transfer the drawing.
Another form of printmaking is engraving. In a sense, engraving is the exact opposite of a woodcut, in that ink clings to depressed areas on the block. In this case, a block of metal - usually copper - is used, and a special tool is used to scrape a sketch onto the metal. Because a metal plate is very durable, many more copies can be made than with woodcuts.
Drypoint is an interesting variation of engraving, in which the tool used to scrape away the sketch leaves a fine, feathered edge. This lends drypoint art prints a unique visual quality that cannot be duplicated by any other printing process. Drypoints can only be produced in small numbers, since the feathered edges are eventually worn off the plate.
Lithography involves sketching an image onto a block of limestone. A greasy drawing medium is used, and then acid applied, making the drawing “burn” itself onto the block. Because of the use of limestone, lithography is a process that captures fine details that other print processes cannot.
Finally, the giclee print process uses more modern, digital imaging techniques. A digital scan is reproduced on paper using jets of finely colored ink. Color is mixed into many different shades on the page, creating a high-resolution print with a rich level of detail. Because of the visual richness, popular giclee prints include landscapes and flower paintings. Giclee prints for sale are reasonably priced and available at many fine art print shops.
As the oldest method of mechanical reproduction, printmaking allows an artist to produce copies. Woodcuts are the oldest kind, and art prints done with this method were created by cutting a relief of an image into a block of wood. Only the raised image is visible when the inked wood is pressed onto paper. Engraving and drypoint are the opposite: the ink is in the depressions in the metal, made either through scratching or acid. Lithography uses grease and acid to burn an image into limestone, and is very detailed. Giclee prints for sale at fine art print shops are reasonably priced, with flower paintings being very popular.
- Gray Hamilton