Aquatint
Aquatint is a tone (value) process which uses acid as in etching. The plate is covered with a
porous ground of rosin which allows the acid to bite away a fine mesh of tiny dots. The artist
first stops out the white areas of the picture, immerses the plate briefly for the next lightest
tones and repeats this process for successively darker tones.
Sugarlift
Sugarlift enables a positive image to be made on the plate and is an etching technique where you
can etch any shape that has been painted on the plate with a sugar solution. As with all other
etching processes, the plate must first be degreased to remove all grease and dirt. An image is
painted onto the plate with a sugarlift liquid using a paint brush. The image drawn is what gets
exposed to acid. The sugarlift liquid must be allowed to dry before it is completely covered with
diluted stop out or a liquid hard ground. By immersing the plate in warm water, the sugar dissolves
and lifts the varnished areas off the plate exposing the metal. The coating around the paint marks
are left on the plate and will remain white while the lifted areas will be exposed to the acid and
print the ink color. Applying aquatint, a thin layer of powdered resin particles, creates dark
tones. See aquatint explanation.
Lithograph
A lithograph is created by drawing an image onto a stone (lithography = "stone-drawing") or metal
plate using a grease crayon or a greasy ink called tusche. The process is based on the principle
that grease and water do not mix. To create a lithograph, the stone or plate is washed with water
--which is repelled by the crayon-- and then with ink --which is absorbed by the crayon. The image
is printed onto the paper from the stone or plate, which can be re-inked many times without
wear.
Woodcut
Woodcuts entail creating a relief image on a block of wood by cutting away the parts that are not
to hold ink. The design is usually drawn directly onto the block and then all other parts are cut
away. The wood that has not been cut away is then inked with a roller.
Chin Colle
Chin Colle' is a collage process in which papers are laminated using glue and pressure prior to or
after the final inking of a print.
Monoprint
A monoprint is most definitely original art. The printmaking process involved in making a monoprint
(sometimes also referred to as a monotype) is named such because only one print is made at a time,
after which the process must begin again if the artist wishes to create another print in the
edition. The process involves painting on or inking a non-porous surface such as an etching plate,
glass, Plexiglas, or the like, and then pressing paper against the painted or inked surface
resulting in unique works on paper.
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