After a plate is inked, it's ready
to go into the printing press. A piece of paper called a registration sheet
marks exactly where the plate should sit, and the paper on top. This is crucial
for multi-plate printing. Each plate can have only one colour, so a full colour
print requires several plates, for red, yellow, blue, or whatever colours the
artist desires. After the plate and paper are placed on the printing table,
blankets are placed on top of them, and the print is run through a heavy roller
which pushes all the ink into the paper.
Print making paper is thick and
soft, and is wetted to help soften it further. It's then blotted with a towel
to remove excess water, so it will accept the ink. After printing, the paper is
placed between dry towels and boards, and pressed to dry flat.
Printers often rework their plates
over and over, repeating the process of drawing and printing until they get the
desired result. Until the print is finished, it's referred to as a state
- 1st state, 2nd state, 3rd, etc, The final state is called a proof, and
then an edition is printed, identical to the proof. An edition can have
anywhere from 20 to 200 copies. Some printmakers don't like to make editions,
instead creating monotypes - each proof is unique.
Engraving
Engraving techniques involve scoring with a burin and
drypoint needle. In both cases the plate is cut with a stylus. A
drypoint needle is thinner, creating lines that are lighter and more feathery.
Engraving can by done on many different surfaces. Jewellery is often engraved,
as are swords and knives.
Etching
Etching is a process similar to engraving, but instead of
cutting the plate directly with a stylus, acid is used to eat away at
the metal. The plates are usually made of copper or zinc (copper
plates last longer, as it's harder). Copper plates are etched with ferric
chloride, and zinc with copper
sulphate. The plate is covered with a thin layer of resistant bees' wax
or varnish. Then, the artist scratches away at this material with a thin
stylus, exposing the metal. The plate is then put in the acid, and wherever
lines are exposed, the acid eats away, forming grooves. The longer a plate sits
in the acid, the bigger the grooves, and the darker the lines will become. An
alternate approach is to paint on a thinner layer of varnish, and where it's
thinnest, the acid will eat away, leaving brush strokes similar to a painting.
Aquatint
This is a special etching technique where the plate is covered in a fine layer of pine resin dust, which is then heated. The result is etched, creating a fine, even tone that can range from light gray to black, depending on how long it's etched.
