Almost everyone has done printmaking. As a child, you may remember using the carved surface of a potato and paint to make prints on paper.

Printmaking is the process of creating multiple original images, or prints, from one original surface, called a plate or matrix. Matrices can be made of wood, metal, stone, linoleum, and acrylic glass. Printmakers can use a variety of media including water- or oil-based ink, paint, oil pastels, and water soluble solid pigments.

Each of the prints in a print run is considered an original work of art. The artist typically signs, titles, and numbers the individual prints. A print run is usually numbered and referred to as a series or edition. For example, 5/20 indicates the work is the fifth print in a series of 20.

Depending upon the techniques used, the prints can be produced from one plate or many plates printed on top of each other, each representing a separate color or design.

There are four types of printmaking:

Relief printing—Parts of the printing surface that will be inked are left raised (the relief), while the remaining areas are cut away. Ink is applied to the matrix surface, typically with a roller or brayer, and then transferred to paper using direct pressure. A reverse image of the matrix is produced. Types of relief printing are woodcut, woodblock, block printing, linocut, linoleum block, and wood engraving.

Intaglio—This print making process is the opposite of relief printing. The image is drawn, cut, or etched into the matrix surface. The matrix is inked then wiped so the ink lies below the surface of the plate. The ink is transferred to the paper under pressure. Examples of intaglio are engraving, etching, drypoint, collagraph, aquatint, and mezzotint. See intaglio and engraving products.

Planographic—This is based on the principle that oil and water don't mix. The image area of the plate attracts ink and the non-image areas repel ink. Matrices are typically stone or metal (zinc or aluminum plates). Lithography and monotyping are types of planographic techniques. See lithography products.

Stencil—An image is imposed on a fine screen with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance called a screen filler or resist. Ink or paint is forced through the screen with a squeegee and onto the surface below, which could be a number of things including T-shirts, tote bags, or canvas. This process is also called serigraphy, screen printing, or silkscreening. See silkscreening products.

MisterArt.com carries the supplies you need to accomplish these printmaking techniques. We can help you with complete silkscreen kits, printing presses, zinc plates, burnishers, scrapers, scribes, printing inks, mounted and unmounted linoleum, linoleum cutters, carving tools, printing papers, resist, silk screen fabric, and squeegees.