Printmaking Vocabulary

Printmaking Vocabulary

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Involves skill and dexterity in handling the techniques of a medium. Fine art requires this along with creativity.

BURNISHING

A technique used by printmakers to apply pressure to the back of the print paper in order to cause the ink to adhere to the paper rather than the relief block.

BLEEDING

The movement of ink beyond the edges of the printing plate. It is usually caused by too much ink on the palate or too much pressure.

GOUGE

A tool used to cut the design out of the print plate surface.

PRINTING PRESS

A heavy metal bed suspended between two rollers. The space between the rollers is adjusted to vary the pressure required.

REGISTRATION

How the paper is aligned to the edges of the surface from which you are printing.

ARTISTS PROOF

A print pulled to show progress and is for the artists own use. This print is excluded from the numbering of an edition.

BANDED ROLL

A printmaking method of applying ink to obtain several colors on one printing run. The resulting images is blended stripes of color.

BRAYER

A roller used to apply ink evenly on the print plate surface.

CONSISTENCY

An important aspect to have between a series of prints. Shows that each print is essentially the same.

MAT

A border surrounding an artwork.

PROOF PRINT

A trial print to test technical aspects of an image.

EDITION

The total number or prints pulled and authenticated by the artists for distribution. The eleventh print of an edition of fifty is numbered 11/50. Traditionally, the lower the number in an edition the more valuable.