Rosalie O'Donnell | Artist - Contemporary Printmaking | Sedona, Arizona

ALL ABOUT PRINTMAKING

 Artist-pulled prints are often confused with giclée prints. Giclée prints are copies of another artwork, usually a painting that has been photographed and then reproduced using a method called Giclée printing. An artist-pulled print can be reproduced in multiples as well but has been created from a plate that the artist carved or engraved plate. These plates can be metal, wood, linoleum or Plexiglas.

 Hand-pulled prints are numbered according to their place in the “edition” or series printed. So, 2/5 means it was the second print out of 5 total prints created off that plate. The first prints pulled off a plate can also be referred to as “Artist’s Proofs” or A/P. The numbers will appear at the bottom margin outside of the print itself. The artist’s signature and title of the piece are also written at the bottom of the print.

 Prints are transferred to paper by running the plate through a printing press or sometimes, by applying pressure with hands and tools called brayers. I often use a metal spoon to apply pressure.

 Types of Printmaking Processes

 I work in three types of printmaking processes; Relief, Intaglio and Monotype.

RELIEF PRINTS- can be made of wood or linoleum. The artist cuts away lines and areas on the block using a special tool. The areas left behind are then inked using a roller. Paper is placed on top of the plate and pressure is applied either with a printing press or by hand.

INTAGLIO- I use zinc metal plates. Each plate is first coated with a layer of hard ground made of bitumen and turpentine. This is allowed to dry. I then carve lines into the plate through the ground with a very sharp diamond-tipped blade. The plate is placed in an acid bath allowing the lines to be “etched” into the plate. Once cleaned more areas can be aquatinted on the plate by covering the plate with powdered rosin and placing it in acid for long periods for darker colors or short periods for lighter colors. Textures can be created using a variety of materials such as leaves, feathers, lace and cheesecloth. Lines cans also be drawn directly on to the plate without a ground. This is called a Drypoint. When the drawing is completed, the plate is cleaned, ink is applied to the plate and the excess is wiped off. The remaining ink is only in the etched lines and areas. After running through the press with paper on top, the drawing or etching will appear.

MONOTYPES-Typically created on a Plexiglas plate or metal plate. Ink is applied in a variety of ways. It can be wiped off to create an image or painted on. Textures can be laid on the plate and inked or printed without inking.  Paper is placed on top of the inked plate and run through a printing press or pressure is applied by hand. The resulting image is the only one, thus monotype. Any other prints from the same matrix will be different because there is not the same amount of ink remaining on the plate. Each monotype is different and unique.