Printmaking

There are many types of Printmaking techniques. We will be studying relief printmaking. Relief printing is a process where protruding surface faces of the printing plate or block are inked; recessed areas are ink free. Printing the image is therefore a relatively simple matter of inking the face of the matrix and bringing it in firm contact with the paper. A printing-press may not be needed as the back of the paper can be rubbed or pressed by hand with a simple tool such as a brayer or roller.

Lino-cut Relief Print We will use lino or safety-cut for our relief prints. The idea of this is to cut away where you want white or the paper color to show. The area where you don’t cut away will hold ink. It is best to start of with a basic positive/negative drawing.

The basic concept of relief printing. A is the block or matrix; B is the paper; the thick black lines are the inked areas. (The thickness of the ink is greatly exaggerated for illustration)

Positive and Negative

Space

Printmakers are always thinking of positive and negative space. Many prints only contain one ink color and the color of the paper.

Postive Space: Part of an

artwork that the subject occupies

Negative

Space: the

space between

object and the

space between

the subject and

the edge of an

artwork

How would you draw the positive and negative space for these photographs?

POSITIVE SPACE is not good and

NEGATIVE SPACE is not bad.

They work together to make an

artwork look interesting!!!

When you plan your sketch, you should plan to have defined positive areas like the white areas in Elvis print and the negative areas which are black.

“Thanyo vury mush”by Ben Dickinson

Your print can be of an person, landscape or abstract. This is an example of how your print may look before printing.

• This is the printed image. You should be able to make several prints of your image by re-inking the safety cut and repeating the printmaking steps.

• This is one way an artist can reproduce their drawings over and over and sell to the public.

*Notice that the image is reverse or a mirror image of the lino-cut print. Keep this in mind if you decide to add words or lettering to your print.

This is an example of an abstracted print though we can tell there are flower, leaves and a sun.

Lino-Cuts of animals

Printmaking Steps

1)Finish drawing on print plate, with

pencil. Be sure to have defined areas

of positive and negative spaces.

2)Use lino-cutters to cut away positive

space.

3)Roll ink onto brayer to be sure it is

completely covered evenly with ink

4)Roll ink onto print plate evenly

5)Check print plate for ink that may have

spilled into lines, clear away with a

pencil.

6.) Place print plate onto paper, rub

with a spoon or baren on the paper

side.

7.) Check corner of paper with out

removing the entire paper.

8.) Label artwork with your name

and date. Place on drying rack.

Printmaking Steps

Project inspirations

• Use a print that we have already completed: Self-Portrait, famous person sketch or still life to expand upon in an idea for a print

• Create a print of nature, like a plant or a flower. Be sure to think about the contrast of positive and negative space

• Create a print of an animal

• Create a print of a Landscape