Introduction to printmaking

Printmaking: one of the plastic arts. A painting made by the author through hand-printing on various different materials; multiple copies of the original work can be made with restrictions without affecting the artistic value. The earliest prints at home and abroad were in the form of woodcut reproductions, such as the "Dialogue Picture" on the title page of the "Diamond Sutra" engraved in the ninth year of Xiantong (868) in the Tang Dynasty in my country. These prints were engraved by craftsmen based on the artist's drawings. Only in the 18th century did artists begin to create prints in which they drew their own drawings, made their own plates, and printed their own prints. Printmaking as a plastic art refers to the creation of prints. Due to differences in the ink-receiving part of the plate, plate properties, plate making and printing methods, etc., it can be divided into different varieties. Monotype printmaking is a form of printmaking that involves painting or coloring on a smooth surface without plate making, and then rubbing it into the finished product. Rubbing is a form of printmaking in which ink is directly rubbed onto the paper covering the letterpress layout. Such as stone rubbings, brick rubbings, etc. Letterpress type prints receive ink on the convex surface of the plate, and are represented by woodblock prints. Among them, those printed with oil-soluble ink are called "mimeograph woodblock prints" or "woodcuts"; those printed with water-soluble inks are called "watermark prints" or "watermark woodcuts." There are also various relief prints made using hemp glue, gypsum, stones, bricks, etc. as plate materials and still using woodblock printing and printing methods. Intaglio prints receive ink on the concave part of the plate, which represents copper prints. Among them, due to different platemaking methods, they can be divided into "line etching copper engravings", "dry engraving copper engravings", "screen wire copper engravings" and "corroded copper engravings". There are also various intaglio prints made from zinc plates or other metal plates but still using copper plate making and printing methods. Lithographic prints receive ink on the surface of the plate, and are represented by lithographs. Due to different platemaking methods, it can be divided into "direct lithography" and "transfer lithography". There are also lithographic prints that use aluminum plates, zinc plates, etc. as plate materials but still use lithograph plate making and printing methods. Hole type printmaking is also called "leaky hole printing". The ink leaks through the perforated plate to the finished product bearing surface, which is represented by screen leakage. There are also hole-type prints that use the silk screen printing method and use nylon mesh, Capron mesh, metal mesh and other mesh materials as the plate material. Glass printmaking is a form of printmaking in which a plate is made on glass and then combined with photography technology.