Print Glossary

Xilliary Twil of Art Asset Management Group, Inc sent me a link to an interesting website that has a good definition of a print along with a print glossary.  As I still dont have all utilities back to normal from the storm (at least we have power) my ability to post and find articles for the next few days will probably be limited.

Click HERE for the full print glossary, below for the definition of a print and the "A" list from the glossary.

Print -A Definition

An original print is "an image that has been conceived by an artist as a print and executed solely as a print in a limited number under his or her artistic control.  Each print in the edition is an original, printed from a plate, stone, screen, block, or other matrix created for that purpose.  There is no one original print from which copies were made.  Each is inked and pulled individually; it is a multi-original medium.  The unique qualities of each matrix influence the nature of the images created by the artist.  Regardless of the technology used, an original print is conceived and executed as a print, not as a reproduction of work in another medium".

Glossary of printmaking Terms

Acrylic Resist Etching (ARE)

Acrylic resists replace the traditional oil/solvent based etching grounds. A range of products is available from hard and soft resist to wash resists and aquatints.  Some household floor polishes can also be used.

Acrylic Hard Resist

An acrylic resist that is poured (flow coated) or painted onto a metal plate then drawn through in the traditional manner.  Specialist hard resists are available and acrylic floor polish is also used

Acrylic Soft Resist

An acrylic soft ground. A small amount of water soluble relief ink + copolymer binder,  is roll-coated onto a copper plate. While the ink is wet soft-ground textures are pressed into this ink-ground after which the ground is dried and plate etched in ferric chloride. Specialist soft resist products are also available.

Acrylic Aquatint

First documented by Keith Howard in his 1991 publication "Safe Photo Etching for photographers and Artists".  A number of Acrylic Aquatint inks are now available and some hard resist products can also be sprayed with an airbrush to make aquatints.

Aquatint

A method of creating tonal variations in an etching. Traditionally a fine rosin layer is applied to a plate and fixed by heat.  This creates a porous ground that can be stopped out and bitten at different intervals to control tone. Non toxic printmaking replaces rosin powder with acrylic resists sprayed onto the plate with an airbrush.