stages of printing "Gnomon"

WHAT IS A PRINT?

In the most general terms, a print is a piece of paper on which a design has been imprinted from a matrix made of some selected medium, usually stone, wood, or metal. In an original print the matrix is made by hand, as opposed to a reproduction, which is made by a photomechanical mass production method. An original hand-made print is a genuine work of art which ranks with painting, sculpture and drawing as one of the foremost means of artistic expression.

ETCHING PROCESS:

1.An etching (also called a line etching) is created by covering a metal plate with an acid-resistant layer of wax called a ground and drawing a design through the ground using an etching needle.

2.The plate is then dipped in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, thus etching the design into the plate. After dipping the plate in acid, sections of the design can be stopped out with varnish and the plate immersed in the acid again. This creates a deeper bite, and thus darker lines, for those areas not stopped out.

3.The plate is then inked and wiped carefully and thoroughly to take off all surplus color.

4. Printing. The plate is positioned on the flat bed of the press and the damp paper is laid over the top. The felt blankets are spread over and the handle of the press is turned to run the bed between the rollers.

Different ways of manipulating the mark-making process, the action and extent of corrosion, and the printing process give the artist an infinite range of creative opportunities.

LITHOGRAPHICAL PROCESS:

Original lithographs (stone or plate)
Hand drawn by the artist on limestone or zinc plate. Each stone/plate is used to print one color. After the edition (the number of impressions made) is hand-printed, each impression is signed and numbered by the artist. Imperfect impressions are destroyed, the stones and plates are effaced, and each edition is carefully documented. The process depends on a simple chemical principle - the mutual antipathy of grease and water.

1. The image is drawn with greasy materials on a grease-sensitive surface, with the non-printing areas treated with water based materials to keep them clean.

2. When printing ink is rolled on. It adheres only to the sensitized greasy marks.

3.The inked image is then printed using an offset process. With an offset press, the ink from the plate is transferred to a rubber blanket, and from that blanket onto paper.

PRINTMAKING TERMINOLOGY:

Printmakers, print dealers, and print collectors use several terms that are necessary for the comprehension of prints: Edition, Numbering, Artist's Proofs. Edition: The number of images printed from the plate, stone, block, or the like is called an edition. These identical images are pulled either by the artist or, under the artists supervision, by the printer. The body of the edition is numbered (for example, 1/100 through 10/100) directly on the print, usually in pencil. Additional proofs, such as artist's proofs, are also part of the edition. Numbering: Numbering indicates the size of the edition and the number of each particular print. Therefore, 25/75 means that the print is the 25th impression from an edition of 75. Artist's Proofs: Artist's proofs are those impressions from an edition that are specifically intended for the artist's own use. These impressions are in addition to the numbered edition and are so noted in pencil as artist proof or A/P. The legitimate number of artist's proofs for a given edition is usually around 10% of the total.

FRAMING YOUR ARTWORK:

Choose a frame style to complement both your art and your decor. Wider frames should be chosen for larger artwork. You may choose either regular or non-glare glass or acrylic. A mat should be chosen to enhance and protect your artwork. Acid free mats are generally recommended. Artwork should be attached to a mounting board by one of two methods: Dry mounting is normally recommended. A water based adhesive or dry mount tissue is used to adhere the artwork to a mounting board. Original or limited edition artwork should be conservation mounted. Rice paper, mounting corners, or removable hinges are used to float or attach the artwork onto a mounting board.

CARING FOR YOUR ARTWORK:

Paper artwork, such as prints, expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. As a result, the artwork may not always be flat -some waviness is expected. All light quickens the deterioration of paper and fades its color. Sunlight, either reflected or direct, is the most damaging and should be avoided. Fluorescent light, like sunlight, contains harmful ultraviolet radiation. Incandescent lighting, is not as strong, and usually does not reach the artwork directly. To avoid overheating the artwork, use low wattage lighting. For picture lights, attached to a frame, do not exceed a power rating of 25 watts. Avoid placing framed art close to direct sources of heat such as a heating vent or fireplace.