was
invented in Munich in 1798 by Aloys Senefelder,
and thereafter came into wide use both
as an artistic medium and as a means
of reproducing pictures for publication.
Simply outlined, the process consists
of drawing of painting with greasy crayons
and inks on a particular species of limestone
that has been ground down to the desired
texture. After several subsequent manipulations,
the stone is well moistened with water,
whereupon the parts not covered by the
crayon become wet, while the areas where
the greasy drawing were made repel the
water and remain dry. An oily ink is
then applied with a roller; it adheres
only to the drawing, being repelled by
the wet parts of the stone. The print
made by pressing paper against the inked
drawing is not a reproduction in the
same sense as in the mechanically reproduced
print, but is a true autographic replica,
in reverse, of the original drawing on
the stone. The direct manner in which
the drawing is made and the range of
tones that can be obtained make the process
popular.
consists of drawing
with a fine steel point, or needle, on
a soot-blackened metal plate that has
been coated with a ground of acid resisting
wax or varnish. In the true etching,
the drawing does not depend upon lines
the needle may scratch on the plate;
the lines merely cut through the wax,
exposing the brightly polished metal.
The plate is subsequently immersed in
an acid bath, which bites out or etches
the exposed lines. After the etched plate
is cleaned, it is inked and prints are
pulled it on a special roller press.
Editions of thirty to a hundred proofs
are commonly pulled, after which the
plate is customarily destroyed.
requires
a well developed personal skill in manipulating
the gravers, or burins. The gravers are
tempered steel instruments with oblique
points and wooden or cork covered handles
designed to fit into the palm of the
hand. The steel is grasped with the thumb
and fingers near it's point, and the
edge of the thumb must press against
and glide along the surface of the plate
in order to glide the point in a free
and sensitive manner and to prevent it
from becoming buried in the metal. The
plate rests upon a circular leather pad
and is held by the engravers other hand
in such a way that it can be tilted and
revolved, these motions being coordinated
with the movements of the graver and
used equally, especially in engraving
curved lines. Printing is done as in
the case of etchings, except that after
the plates are inked they are wiped very
clean; the printing of an engraving is
an altogether mechanical operation.
are work done by cutting
out the surface of a smooth plank hardwood
with a knife, aided by the use of small
V and U gouges for more delicate lines.
Seasoned planks of apple, pear, cherry,
beech, and sycamore of type high thickness
(.918 inch) are preferred.
will not take
very delicate or subtle cutting, and
it's characteristic effect is composed
of rather blocky or posterlike forms.
However, the technique enjoys a certain
popularity among artists for the production
of less exacting and more expressive
work. For the most part, the remarks
on woodcutting apply to linoleum cutting;
lighter weight tools made for the purpose
are now sold in place of the regulation
wood-carving knives and gouges, but they
are less satisfactory. Linoleum is composed
of burlap coated with a heavy layer of
linoxyn, which is made of polymerized
oil mixed with ground cork and pigments.
The best grade is known as battleship
linoleum, and is usually brown or gray.
If desired, it may be mounted or purchased
ready mounted on wooden blocks so that
the cut is type-high in order that it
may be taken buy a printing press. Small,
inexpensive presses may be purchased
or improvised; when regular printing
ink is used the printing presents few
difficulties.
is a method
in which relief patterns are built up
on a block or board with various materials
and by various means, as by gluing three
dimensional elements to the surface of
a board, or by coating the board with
gesso or polymer modeling paste and building
up textures or carving, or incising it.
Other prints are pulled directly from
textured surfaces, such as weathered
wood surfaces, cross sections of logs,
and crumpled or textured metal. Found
objects are frequently glued onto the
board – flat metal and plastic items,
or shapes cut or molded by the artist.
The means of creating abstract patterns
are unlimited.
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