aquatint
an intaglio printmaking process in which value areas rather than lines are etched on the printing plate. Powdered resin is sprinkled on the plate, which is then immersed in an acid bath. The acid bites around the resin particles, creating a rough surface
artist's proof
a trial print, usually made as an artist works on a plate or block, to check the progress of a work.
burin
a tool used in engraving.
burr
the ridge left by scratching a drypoint line in a copper plate. The burr holds ink for printing.
drypoint
an intaglio printmaking process in which lines are scratched directly into a metal plate with a steel needle. The scratch raises a ridge that takes the ink. Also, the resulting print.
edition
in printmaking, the total number of prints made and approved by the artist, usually numbered consecutively. Also, a limited number of multiple originals of a single design in any medium.
engraving
an intaglio printmaking process in which a metal plate is first grooves are cut into a metal or wood surface with a sharp cutting tool called a burin or graver. Also the resulting print.
etching
an intaglio printmaking process in which a metal plate is first coated with acid-resistant wax or varnish, then scratched to expose the metal to the bite of nitric acid where lines are desired. Also, the resulting print.
icon
an image or symbolic representation, often with sacred significance.
intaglio
any printmaking technique in which lines and areas to be inked are recessed below the surface of the printing plate, i.e.. etching, engraving, drypoint, and aquatint.
linocut
linoleum cut" a relief printmaking process, in which an artist cuts away negatives spaces from a block of linoleum, leaving raised areas to take ink for printing.
linoleum cut
linocut" a relief printmaking process, in which an artist cuts away negatives spaces from a block of linoleum, leaving raised areas to take ink for printing.
lithography
a planographic printmaking technique based on the antipathy of oil and water. The image is drawn with a grease crayon or painted with tusche on a stone or grained aluminum plate. The surface is then chemically treated and dampened so that it will accept i
matrix
the block of metal, wood, stone, or other material that an artist works to create a print.
offset lithography
lithographic printing by indirect image transfer from photomechanical plates. The plate transfers ink to a rubber-covered cylinder, which "offsets" the ink to the paper. Also called photo-offset lithography.
photo screen
a variation of silkscreen in which the stencil is prepared by transferring a photograph to the stencil.
plate mark
an impression made on a piece of paper by pressing a printing plate onto it. A plate mark is usually a sign of an original print.
Post-Impressionism
a general term applied to various personal styles of painting by French artists or artists living in France that developed from about 1885 to 1900 in reaction to what those artists saw as the somewhat formless and aloof quality of Impressionist painting.
relief printmaking
a printing technique in which the parts of the printing surface that carry ink are left raised, while the remaining areas (negative spaces) are cut away. Woodcuts and linoleum prints (linocuts) are relief prints.
screenprinting
serigraphy", a printmaking technique in which stencils are applied to fabric stretched across a frame. Paint or ink is forced with a squeegee through the unblocked portions of the screen onto paper or other surface beneath.
serigraphy
screenprinting", a printmaking technique in which stencils are applied to fabric stretched across a frame. Paint or ink is forced with a squeegee through the unblocked portions of the screen onto paper or other surface beneath.
silkscreen
also called serigraphy.
stencil
a sheet of paper, cardboard, or metal with a design cut out. Painting or stamping over the sheet prints the design on a surface.
tusche
In lithography, a waxy liquid used to draw or paint images on a lithographic stone or plate.
wood engraving
a method of relief printing in wood. In comparison to woodcut, a wood engraving is made with denser wood, cutting into the end of the grain rather than the side. The density of the wood demands the use of engraving tools, rather than woodcarving tools.
woodblock
woodcut", a type of relief printing made from a plank of relatively soft wood. The artist carves away the negative spaces, leaving the image in relief to take ink for printing.
woodcut
woodblock", a type of relief printing made from a plank of relatively soft wood. The artist carves away the negative spaces, leaving the image in relief to take ink for printing.