PRINTMAKING
(INTRODUCTION)
by
Jyoti Bhatt
A print is an impression of an image from one surface transferred
on another surface. A thumbprint on paper and a footprint on soft ground are
its two very common forms. Printed images of hand palms on the walls of ancient
caves are perhaps the oldest prints found. Embossed relief images on terracotta
– fired clay tablets—from Harappan period can also be
considered prints. Patterns on textile printed with decorative motifs carved on
wood blocks are some of the more common form of prints known to us. However it
was only after the invention of paper, people started making prints of visual
images and written data on a large scale. This enabled them to make a
substantial number of almost identical copies of the original image, which can
then be availed by many people at once. This practical device was improvised
and perfected from simple wood blocks to fine engravings. More methods and
techniques were also invented and developed such as Stencils, Intaglio
and Lithography. Prints made from the images engraved on thin metal plates by
highly skilled craftsmen from the famous works of master painters were very
popular form of reproductions available in
Invention of photography has been a very strong force that changed our life in
many ways. It especially affected visual arts in a big way. Most of the then
popular methods used for making reproductions became obsolete and this artistic
craft, which was done earlier by creative individuals on a small-scale level
slowly, got developed into large and high-tech industries. The printing methods
used now for most of the reproductions at industrial level make some use of
photography. Such methods are referred as ‘Photo Mechanical’. It has become
possible to make thousands or even a larger number of copies within a very
short time. When compared to a hand made print, the cost for such a mass
produced reproduction is understandably far less. These asides, such
reproductions do not have any easily noticeable characteristics of their own.
The main intention and purpose of making them is to make a large number of
copies that appear very close to the original image within certain constraints
such as, size and whether they are monochrome or multicolored reproductions,
whereas the earlier manual printing processes have very distinct attributes.
They are quite different from each other. In spite of the proliferation
of photomechanical processes, artists have preferred the manual methods of
printmaking for their personal visual expressions. Although, there are some
similarities in the process of making a drawing and such prints, there is a
vast difference between methods and implements used for creating images and
their final appearance.
Thus PRINTMAKING can be defined as: the art of creating visible expressions
or forms, employing the processes of printing.
K.G. Subramanyan, Jeram Patel, Akbar Padmsee, J.Swaminathan, Bhupen Kakhar, G. M. Sheikh are among some of the famous Indian
painters who on and off have made excellent prints in various mediums but, are
not labeled as printmakers. On the contrary, several artists are known as
printmakers because initially they had pursued this medium but, are now
concentrating on paintings.
Making a print requires that initially an image is made on a
piece of wood, metal sheet, screen etc. (referred in this note as matrix and
matrices) which is then transferred or impressed on another surface- usually on
paper. Most artists make a small ‘EDITION’ – a number of impressions from the
same matrix- by repeating the printing process, so that more people can have
the pleasure of owning it. Each print of such edition is specified with its
number and ‘size’ of the edition. This way 7/20 would mean that this
print is No.7 from the edition containing 20 impressions of the
same image. These and also the title, year of creation and artist’s signature
are written with a pencil near the bottom edge of the image. Such an impression
is considered ORIGINAL PRINT. This is not only because the artists them selves
create the initial images and, are also actively involved in most – if not all
-- of the technical processes but, mainly because such prints are not the
reproductions of any other, previously existing paintings or drawings. A
printmaker is not compelled to make a reproduction of any other image but has a
full autonomy to create the image according to his or her desire through print
related processes. One can keep on working till the final stage of printing.
The image can be improvised by adding, removing or changing the tones, textures
and details on the matrix, and then also by modifying the colours,
transparency, opacity and viscosity of inks during the printing process.
Numerous permutations of all these are done till the artist is satisfied with
the end result –the print. This is a fairly accurate description of the manner
in which artist-printmakers normally work.
Artist printmakers generally employ the following four basic methods –either
separately or in combined forms. Though most of them know how to use all
mediums, they prefer to work with one or two and usually stick to that.
(1) RELIEF PROCESS
Relief print is a mirror (reversed) image of the one cut on
the block. Some of the most common examples of the relief
printing are rubber stamps and textiles printed with wood blocks. In
In relief process the artist uses a piece of wood plank or any other similar
material that has a flat surface and draws an image on it. Parts of the image
that is to be white (or the colour of paper to be
used for printing) are gouged out from its original surface so that the image
stands out as a relief. When ink of any colour is
applied on it, only the uncut parts of the surface receive it. As the necessary
pressure is applied when the wood block (matrix) is brought in contact with a
paper, the inked image is transferred onto it. Prints made with relief process,
usually have bold and sharp black and white or distinct tonal areas. However,
instead of a horizontally cut wood plank, vertical cross section cut from
fine-grained wood are used for finer details. An image made this way is called
Wood Engraving. The tools used for this are also different. Apart from the
texture of the wood, relief prints would also show the character of tools used
for cutting and the manner in which artists has used them. Each artist
has a personal way of creating the image and handling the tools. Wood engraved
blocks were used for publishing and such industrial printing until photo
engraving took over. Illustrations for storybooks, textbooks, adverts etc. were
also printed from such hand engraved wood blocks. Romendra
Nath Chakrbarty and Haren Das are perhaps the only Indian artists who have used
wood engraving medium for their personal work.
Those who work in woodcut normally apply oily ink on the matrix with a rubber
roller. But traditional Japanese printers applied thin and delicate washes of
water-colour with brush. So, their prints had a very
different appearance and subtle tonal nuances.
Woodcut (also known as Xylography), Linocut and Wood Engraving are the more
exploited forms of relief printing. These and similar nomenclatures are often
used for the prints as well as processes used to make them. Nowadays some
artists are using plastics or similar synthetic materials and ply-woods for
making larger size prints.
Reproductions of Kalighat paintings were sold
in the form of inexpensive wood cut prints in
(2)
INTAGLIO
Intaglio process depends on a principal exactly opposite of the relief
printing. The image to be printed is incised on a smooth and shiny surface of a
thin metal sheet, usually of copper or zinc. Image is made on it by engraving
or scoring the surface with appropriate but rather exclusive tools. Apart from
the skill and experience, working directly on the hard metal plate requires
muscle power to make a line or mark on the plate, as the tool is pushed away.
This has a considerable effect on the final appearance of the image. All
engraved lines have very sharp edges and variations in thickness, thereby
making the image look somewhat rigid. But the image can also be
created by etching it out with acid. For doing this, the surface of the plate
is coated with an acid resisting ingredient –usually a mixture of wax, pine
rosin and bitumen. The image can be drawn with any kind of a pointed tool on
the coated surface in a manner similar to using a pen on paper. This removes
the coating only from the areas where the lines and marks are made. When the
plate is immersed in acid (diluted to required strength), it eats away only
those areas where the surface is exposed. Lines can be controlled while making
the drawing by using tools of various kinds and sharpness, and there after with
the effect of the acid bath in terms of dilution, time and temperature.
Compared to engraving, the Images drawn and etched in this manner have
fluidity and calligraphic character.
Ink is filled in the incised image on the plate. Then the surface is thoroughly
cleaned but, the plate retains the ink in proportion to the depth of the lines
and smoothness of various areas of its surface. Print is pulled from it
by putting a damp paper on it. Both these are then passed together between two
cylindrical rollers of the printing press. As the rollers of
the press provide very heavy pressure, the paper picks up the ink from the
grooves. And, depending on the depth, lines and marks transferred from incised
grooves turn up as raised ones in the print. One can actually feel this by
touching the printed image. Any kind of intaglio print is also a mirror image
of the one on the matrix. Because it is possible to apply ink on the plate with
a roller (brayer), there has been a further expansion in the latitude of
printing in this medium. William Stanley Hayter
revived and experimented with colour printing at his
print studio ‘Atelier 17’ at
There are several techniques (etching, aquatint, dry point, mezzotint etc.)
used for making matrices for intaglio prints. Unlike most woodcut prints,
intaglio prints can have minute details, subtle tonality and a large verity of
textures. Somnath Hore was
among the pioneers in
Although printed by very high tech processes and machines, the most common
examples of intaglio printing we are familiar with are currency notes (printed
from engraved plates). Brand names and logos etc. on plastic bags and fine
designs on textiles are some times printed by the similar method known as
‘photo gravure’. Several photographers had used this during early decades of
the last century for giving ‘art touch’ to their photographs. Some printmakers
in western countries are using this but none in
(3) SERIGRAPHY
People in
Most of the textile printing is now done with this method,
which is fast replacing the old wood block printing. Due to its connection with
commercial printing artists had kept them selves away for quite some time. And
when they accepted it as a potential medium for their personal expressions, the
new, sophisticated name ‘Serigraphy’ was coined for it. ‘Seri’ means silk in
Greek language. Manjeet Bawa, and Paramjeet Singh were among the firsts in
(4) LITHOGRAPHY
Invented in
Compared to the other three methods Lithography is more direct. Although the
printed image is reversed, it retains most of the original characters of the
artist’s drawing. This is mainly because instead of the sharp and hard tools
such as knives, needles, burins etc., an artist draws directly on the matrix
with a pen, brush, crayon and similar implements employed for drawing on a
paper. There are methods by which the problem of reversed image is also
tackled. Instead of working directly on the matrix, the image can be drawn on a
special ‘Transfer Paper’. When this is imprinted on the matrix it gets
reversed. And, finally, when the image is printed on a paper form the matrix,
it is reversed again. This way, the final print would match the one that was
drawn on the transfer paper. Until the 1980s many Urdu newspapers were printed
using this method. Thin metal sheet matrices were prepared by imprinting the
matter written on transfer paper. This method is necessary when the printed
image shows written words, a portrait, or a symbol like ‘Swastika’, because
their correct, left or right position has special significance.
Most of the printing at the industrial level is now done with similar method
known as ‘Photo Offset Lithography’. The image is transferred photographically
on the matrix. At an industrial level, photo offset has now replaced
letterpress and photogravure methods. Almost all newspapers, magazines, books,
pamphlets, posters etc. are printed with this method. Somanath
Hore, D. Devraj and Nagraj have made many prints in this method.
Modern artists have often mixed mediums and techniques from various disciplines
for providing necessary edge to their visual expressions. Printmakers also have
pursued this to some extend. Apart from mixing the mediums a few also
adopted uncommon medium such as ‘RUBBING’. We all have tried this method during
our childhood by putting a coin under a paper and then rubbing pencil over it.
This has been practiced by archeologists for making impressions directly
from historical inscriptions and epitaphs --such as ‘Tamra
Patras’-- engraved on metal sheets, or ‘Shila Lekhs’ –carved on
stones. Thin damp paper is put over its surface and a crayon or ink is
rubbed on the backside of paper. This way, the original precious images do not
get spoiled by ink but also do not get reversed. Excluding a few, printmakers
have not even tried their hands on this medium. Bhupendra
Karia was the only Indian who had made some rubbing
impressions from ‘Palias’ (memorial stones).
’COLLAGRAPHY’ is another method invented and developed perhaps by art
teachers from primary schools. Matrix for this is made from ‘soft’ material
such as cardboards, papers and glue etc. No sharp tools and hazardous
chemicals are required. The image created this way is not carved out but built
up and have relief as well as incised surfaces. This can be printed by any of
the relief, intaglio, viscosity or rubbing methods. Damayanti
Krishna and Jagmohan Chopra have worked extensively
in this medium.
The invention of photography was announced to the public in
1839. This had made one professor of painting in
It is said that history always repeats itself. Some thing similar to the
earlier dilemma of relationship between photography and printmaking is now
taking place in art world due to the spread of digitalization of photography
and image making. As usual, people are opposing this too. But it may not be
very long before all these including computers would also become tools used by
artists for their creative expressions.
Perhaps the best way for appreciating the distinctive beauty of any
of the original prints is to make it our selves or at least to observe the
entire process. One should also see various kinds of such prints
carefully and compare them with each other and also with the reproductions of
paintings, drawings and prints which are found in art publications. There are
several illustrated books that explain the history and techniques.
Unfortunately such books are not available easily or even found in most of our
libraries. However it is possible now to get all relevant information about
prints and print-making on the internet, and web sites such as Encyclopedia
Britannica,
Jyoti Bhatt