About Printmaking

The term Printmaking covers several processes, such as Serigraph, Intaglio, Woodcuts, and Collagraph.  All of these methods are multiple originals.  They are not photo-mechanical reproductions or copies of an original.  In these processes each piece (referred to as a print) is created by the artist personally, by hand, with the same painstaking love and care, executing the exact same processes and steps on each succeeding print as on the first one.  When the edition is complete, all are signed and numbered by the artist.

Serigraph is the fine art name for use of the silk screen process.  Intaglio refers to a number of techniques using metal plates and acid, and incising tools.  Some of the more well known techniques are Etching and Engraving.  Woodcuts are, as the name indicates, cut in wood, inked and printed.  The Collagraph is a printing plate made from a collage of materials, sealed, inked and printed.

This has been a very brief explanation of printmaking.  All of these processes encompass a great variety of methods, and techniques, which I cannot begin to describe here, but which allow for many rich and varied visual effects.