Printmaking is an art medium in which images are created on a substrate and transferred to another material, traditionally paper, through the application of pressure.
The image substrate is referred to as the matrix. A matrix can be a range of materials according to the chosen printmaking process. Metal plates are typically used for intaglio and monoprinting, relief blocks can be made from wood or silk linoleum, and lithrography traditionally engages limestones.
Most printmaking processes allow for editioning. An edition is a set of identical prints produced from the same matrix.
The pressure required to transfer the image, or pull a print, can be achieved by hand or by using the appropriate press. The printmaking workshops offer a range of rolling bed presses for intaglio and monoprinting, platten presses for relief and letterpress, and lithography presses.
There are four main families within printmaking: intaglio, relief, planography and serigraphy. Each is defined by the way ink is held in the matrix and transferred during the printing process.
Intaglio matrices are processed to hold ink within or beneath the surface of the plate. The ink is pulled out of the lines and transferred onto paper by using intense pressure from a rolling bed press. Intaglio plates can also inked as a relief.
Relief blocks are inked using a roller or brayer so that the inks sits on the surface of the block. This means that when carving the block, it is important to remember that the carved areas will be negative or white space, and the remaining surface will be positive space, becoming the printable area.
Planography refers to processes where the printing and non-printing areas are on the same plane, such as in lithography or monotypes. The printable image is built up on the matrix surface rather than employing techniques of reduction like intaglio and relief.
Serigraphy, also referred to as stencilling or screen printing, involves pushing ink through the matrix of the screen.
