In many houses, to this day, flat black pieces of wood with simple pictures cut into them have been preserved. The few owners of this Soviet consumer goods are still confident that they have objects of art called prints. Not that they are completely wrong, although real art is out of the question here. It's just that printmaking is a much broader concept than it seems to many. Understanding: printmaking - what is it?
About the meaning of this word
The word "print" is a Russian version of the term brought to us from Europe, where it appeared in the 14-15th centuries (in French estampe, in Italian stampa), and was directly related to the development typography. An engraving or some other print from a matrix (printed form) onto a paper sheet was called an engraving. Initially, printmaking was not a self-sufficient art form, but was only a technical way of reproduction of images. Moreover, it is very laborious, requiring diligence and the highest skill from the performer. But since then, the technique of printmaking has constantly evolved and improved. It acquired unexpected tricks, took on new shapes, and therefore it is no longer so easy to determine the meaning of a word. prints in ourtime is a generic name for many art forms.
About types of print
Trying to understand what the print technique is, let's first turn to history. Before the image is printed on paper, it must be drawn or engraved on some kind of basis: wood, metal, etc. The first engravings began to appear on wood, later on copper. Over time, other varieties of similar techniques arose. Convex and recessed engraving - their technologies differed only in what color of the print the recesses on the matrix board would correspond to. Lithography - paint was applied to a flat surface, and the resulting print, as a rule, did not have a relief. Currently, prints, depending on the method of their production, can be classified into several types: letterpress and gravure printing, flat printing, screen printing. Each of these types, in turn, is divided into groups. Let's talk about this a little more.
Print graphics
Graphics in Greek is drawing. The graphics subsequently transferred to another material is an engraving. But there is no need to consider prints as some ancient, antediluvian craftsmanship: this type of creativity is still popular in many countries to this day. For example, in Mexico competitions-exhibitions are regularly organized to help those who wish to master this occupation, which is common in the country. After viewing the works of local masters, the answer to the question: "Printing - what is it?" - will sound like this: "Printing is the combined talent of the artist and carver." After allthe technology of work has not changed much for a long time. The desired pattern is applied to a hardwood board with cutters, then it is covered with printing ink using a roller. And then a sheet of paper is applied to the board and pressed with a press. You can make a lot of prints, and each one will be considered an original.
Etching
And yet, to the question "Printing, what is it?" do not rush to answer: "Craft". Printmaking is an art that even the most eminent painters did not shy away from doing. One of the types of printmaking - etching - became known, among other things, thanks to the works of such geniuses of their time as Rembrandt and Goya. The word "etching" (from the French words eau-forte, strong water, i.e. nitric acid) means a type of engraving on metal, a method that allows you to get prints from printing forms pre-treated with acids. A drawing is made on a metal board with a needle, then the deepening of the image elements is strengthened by etching the metal with acids. Later, the etched places are filled with paint and an impression is printed on a moistened sheet of paper on special machines. The technology is not simple, but the result! The brilliant Albrecht Dürer became famous for his etchings, but many other well-known or already forgotten masters worked in the same technique.
About silkscreen
Correct to the question "Printing, what is it?" there will be an answer: "Silkscreen". Silk-screen printing, or screen printing, is a method of reproducing texts or drawings using a stencil printing plate, thanks to whichpaint falls on the material prepared for this purpose. The method using photographic emulsions is in many ways similar to the process of printing photographs. Currently, screen printing is especially popular, as it is the most technologically advanced. The scope of its use is almost limitless: from microcircuits to huge posters, from one copy to many thousands of copies. The screen printing method is applicable to paper and textiles, ceramics and synthetic materials. Silkscreen printing is ideal for decorating products of various shapes and purposes: jars, bottles, latex balloons, etc.
But silk-screen printing is not only of great practical importance. Silk screen printing is also a very interesting art form that gained popularity in the last century. Even such well-known personalities as Jackson Pollock and Fernand Léger, Andy Warhol and a number of other remarkable masters who did not resemble each other turned to him. They proved printmaking can be great!
