At its most basic, a print is a mark, image, or pattern transferred from a template onto another surface, typically paper, fabric, or canvas. This process involves transferring pigment or ink from a matrix—such as a carved woodblock, a metal plate, or a photographic negative—through the application of pressure or ink. The resulting artifact carries the information of the original design while often acquiring its own unique physical characteristics, making each instance a distinct object within a larger series.
Historical Context and Evolution
The history of printing is a direct history of human communication and image-making, stretching back over a millennium. Early methods like woodblock printing in China allowed for the replication of texts and images long before the advent of the printing press. The innovation of movable type in the 15th century revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge, while later developments in the 19th and 20th centuries, such as lithography and screen printing, expanded the technical and artistic possibilities of the medium.
Core Techniques and Processes
Understanding what are prints requires looking at the specific processes used to create them. These techniques are generally divided into categories based on how the image is held on the printing surface. The major families include relief printing, where the non-image area is cut away (like a woodcut); intaglio, where the image is incised into a surface (like an etching); planographic, where the image and surface are on the same plane (like a lithograph); and screen printing, where ink is pushed through a mesh stencil.
Relief and Intaglio Methods
Woodcut: The oldest method, involving carving a design into a block of wood, inking the raised surfaces, and pressing them to paper.
Linocut: Similar to woodcut but uses linoleum, which is easier to carve, allowing for softer lines and gradients.
Etching: A metal plate is coated with an acid-resistant ground, drawn upon, and then exposed to acid to bite the lines. Ink is then forced into these grooves.
Planographic and Digital Methods
Lithography: Based on the immiscibility of oil and water, where the artist draws on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance.
Screen Printing: Ink is forced through a fine mesh screen stretched over a frame, blocked out in areas where ink should not pass.
Giclée: A modern digital process where high-resolution images are printed onto archival quality substrates using inkjet technology.
The Concept of the Edition
One of the defining characteristics of a fine art print is the concept of the edition. Unlike a mass-produced newspaper, a limited edition print is produced in a specific, predetermined number. The artist signs and numbers each piece—for example, 15/100 indicates it is the 15th print taken from a plate intended to produce 100 copies. This limitation is crucial for establishing the value and authenticity of the work, ensuring that the market and collectors understand the scarcity of the object.
Value, Authentication, and Collecting
For collectors, determining what are prints involves navigating issues of value and provenance. The worth of a print is influenced by the artist's reputation, the rarity of the edition, the condition of the piece, and the historical significance of the image. Authentication relies on verifying the artist's signature, the edition number, and the accompanying certificate of authenticity. Unlike paintings, which are often unique, prints exist in a fascinating space between multiplicity and singularity, offering a accessible entry point for engaging with high-level art without the price tag of a unique canvas.
