TERMINOLOGY
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Artwork Terminology
Acid-free Paper Paper that is made from cotton fiber, or wood fiber with the lignin(acidic) fiber removed. Acid-free papers help to protect the artwork from discoloration and deterioration.
Aquatint Printing technique capable of producing unlimited tonal gradations to re-create the braod, flat tints of ink washes or watercolor drawings by etching microscopic cracks and pits into the image on a master plate, typically made of copper or zinc.
Artist's Proof Print intended for the artist's personal use; often for sale. It's common practice to reserve about ten percent of an edition as artist's proofs. The proof is usually distinguished by the abbreviation AP or E.A. in the lower left corner of the work.
Canvas Transfer A form of art reproduction. It is created by taking the image on an open edtion print (poster) off the paper and adhering it to canvas. The process gives the illusion that it is more than a poster. Adding brushstrokes after the transfer can further enhance the impression of an original.
Collograph Printing technique in which prints are pulled from a block on which the artwork or design is built up like a collage, creating relief. Deckled Edge Technique of wetting and tearing
Drypoint Printing technique of intaglio engraving in which a hard, steel needle incises lines on a metal plate, creating a burr that yields a soft and velvety line in the final print.
Engraving Printing technique in which an intaglio image is produced by cutting a metal plate or box directly with a sharp engraving tool. The incised lines are inked and printed under heavy pressure.
Etching Printing technique in which a metal plate is first covered with an acid-resistant material, then worked with an etching needle to create an intaglio image. The exposed metal is eaten away in an acid bath, creating depressed lines that are later inked for printing.
Giclee A printing technique that uses computers to generate a digital file of the artwork and a specialized inkjet printer to re-create the artwork on a variety of substates, inlcuding watercolor paper and canvas. Giclee printing offers one of the highest degree of accuracy and richness of color currently available in any reproduction technique.
Hors d'Commerce Proof Print identical to the edition print intended to be used as a sample to show dealers and galleries. Hors d'Commerce proofs may be signed by the artist.
Intaglio The process of incising a design beneath the surface of a metal or stone plate. Plates are inked only in the etched depressions on the plates, the rest of the plate is wiped clean. The ink is then transferred onto the paper under the pressure of the etching press. The reverse of this process is known as relief printing.
Limited Edition Set of identical prints numbered in succession and signed by the artist. The total number of prints is "limited" by the artist, who supervises the printing.
Lithograph Printing technique using a planographic process in which prints are pulled on a special press from a flat stone or metal surface that has been chemically sensitized so that ink sticks only to the design areas and is repelled by the non-image areas.
Linocut Printing technique in which the printing surface has been carved from a block of linoleum.
Mezzotint A reverse engraving process used on a copper or steel plate to produce illustrations in relief with effects of light and shadow. The surface of a master plate is roughened with a tool called a rocker so that if inked, it will print solid black. The areas to be white or gray in the print are rubbed down so as to not take the ink.
Mixed Media Original Artwork conceived and executed by the artist using a combination of printing and painting techniques Monoprint One of a kind print conceived by the artist and printed by, or under the artist's supervision.
Monotype One of a kind print made by painting on a sheet of metal or glass and transferring the still wet painting onto a sheet of paper by hand or with an etching press. Monotype printing is not a multiple, replication process since each print is unique.
Montage Also called collage, this is an artwork comprised of portions of various existing images from photographs or prints that are arranged so that when they are joined, overlapped or blended, they form a new image.
Multiple Originals A set of identical fine art prints in which the artist personally conceived the image, created the master plates and executed the entire printing process. Example: etching.
Multiple Reproductions A set of identical fine art prints reproducing the image of an original artwork created by a non-printing process. Example: serigraph on canvas of an oil painting original.
Offset Lithograph A photo mechanical technique in which the image is transferred to the negative plates (usually 4 to 8 metal plates) and printed onto paper.
Open Edition A series of prints, usually offset lithographs, or art objects that has an unlimited number of copies.
Original Print One of a kind print in which the artist personally conceived the image, created the master plates and executed the entire printing process.
Planographic Process to print impressions from a smooth surface rather than creating incised or relief areas on a plate. The term was devised to describe lithography.
Print Numbering The total size of a limited art edition typically includes all signed and numbered prints in the edition, artist's proofs, printer's proofs and sales samples. The numbers usually appear in the lower left corner of the art. Example: 5/150 would indicate that this is the fifth print made out of one hundred and fifty. Each set of proofs and sales samples has a similar numeric designation.
Printer's Proof Print retained by the printer as a reference. Artists often sign this print as a gesture of appreciation.
Provenance Record of ownership for a work of art, ideally from the time it left the artist's studio to its present location, creating an unbroken ownership history.
Relief All printing processes in which the non-printing areas of the block or plate are carved, engraved or etched away. Inks are applied onto the projecting surface and transferred onto the paper. The reverse process is called intaglio printing.
Remarque Small sketch in the paper margin of a print or additional enhancements by the artist on some or all of the prints in an edition.
Restrike Additional prints made from a master plate, block, lithograph stone, etc. after the original edition has been sold out.
Serigraph A printing technique that makes use of a squeege to force ink directly onto paper or canvas through a stencil. The stencil is a (silk) screen with non-image sections blocked so that ink will not pass through. Serigraphy uses heavily pigmented inks rather than the ink stains used in other printing methods.
Woodcut Printing technique in which the printing surface has been carved from a block of wood. The traditional wood block is seasoned hardwood such as apple, beech or sycamore.
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