Print Making Arts

The printmaking arts is an umbrella term that is given to all of the different fine art forms that use the printing process as the main technique of creating the final product. This ranges from woodcut printing to aquatint and to the more popular lithography. One of the main differences between printmaking and other forms of fine art is that the former can create several copies of the same work while the latter is usually more concerned with a single piece. Because the printing process is used, many separate impressions can be made from the same original design. In general, most of printmaking is applied to paper, but some forms use nontraditional materials as well.

The different methods of printmaking are usually divided into four subdivisions: relief, planographic, stencil, and intaglio. Relief printing is done where ink is put on the surface of the base and then pressed into paper to create the image, with woodcut and linocut prints being the most popular applications. Planographic refers to the use of a standard base that has not been cut, but has a special preparation to separate the ink and create the image, such as with lithography. Stencil uses a screen that has been specially prepared to transfer an image and is most commonly found in the aptly named screenprinting. The Intaglio method places the ink or other material in the actual cuts, such as with engraving or aquatint.

In contrast to other forms of fine art, printmaking can be considered to be somewhat dangerous and artists must take care to wear protective clothing when producing a print. This is because the techniques often use chemicals, acids, or solvents that could cause bodily harm if the person has exposure to them. However, modern advancements have lessened the danger presented by printmaking and it is a popular field for many artists.