PRINTMAKING
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing,
normally on paper. Except in the case of monotype, the process is capable of
producing multiples of the same piece, which is called a print. Each piece is
not a copy but an original since it is not a reproduction of another work of art
and is technically known as an impression. Painting or drawing, on the other
hand, create a unique original piece of artwork. Prints are created from a
single original surface, known technically as a matrix. Common types of matrices
include: plates of metal, usually copper or zinc for engraving or etching;
stone, used for lithography; blocks of wood for woodcuts, linoleum for linocuts
and fabric plates for screen-printing. But there are many other kinds, discussed
below. Works printed from a single plate create an edition, in modern times
usually each signed and numbered to form a limited edition. Prints may also be
published in book form, as artist's books. A single print could be the product
of one or multiple techniques.