February 15, 2017

There are various ways to create a print. Relief printing, intaglio, lithography and screen printing are all very different techniques to do this. I have experience in both relief printing and screen printing. I find them to be very interesting processes that are both enjoyable and have great turn outs. Relief prints have the ability to have unique lines based on the type of wood, what type of tool is used and how it is cut. Screen printing is a bit of an expensive method, as you’d need a darkroom and high pressure hose, along with various other tools. I’m sure that there are alternative ways to go about this that are more cost efficient, but may result in lower quality and higher difficulty. Intaglio etching sounds really fun; I hope to try it out in the near future. I feel like there’s a lot more freedom to refine your design with this technique through methods such as burnishing, scraping and drypoint. Creating and handling an acid bath sounds a bit intimidating, though. Lithography, in my opinion, appears to be the most complicated technique. A lot of care is involved to make sure the chemicals are properly handled and used appropriately. If the stone is not perfectly smooth and flat from the beginning, it may crack at the end, resulting a loss. These details lead me to believe it is one of the most difficult and tedious ways to create a print.

https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcqlvRsxcKCYq2vg4dpCG343M3OC1_LPhITrIOzXQM43w1bdajSGQ3elpTnpwcfyo20_mVYtnVno1_koUlsf-yFrzKaLQq5IGDU-L80WJK8-91cI8XqaXJOOVvWaKWkQYPo7JaAOft2PXOkOyIEJeeCjfDukXWFikRi-m5dCZ3E9gxuhrygLdI?key=TNSs6qkezLqYAin4SRtjKA

Relief printing is one of my favorites. Carving, whether it be on linoleum or wood, gives you the ability to create strokes that aren’t as natural in painting or sketching. If you use the spoon technique instead of the press, then you are also gaining the ability to create a one of a kind print that could never be created the same again. This, I feel, gives it more value. In 1952, Rafael Tufiño created the piece, Cortador de Caño. Once again, line is the main element used. The background has vertical lines, while the ground is horizontal. Although there are many lines that could make the piece chaotic and hard to follow, this separation makes it organized. It also gives the sense that the figures are overwhelmed by their surroundings, though they continue to push through. The knife that the main figure is holding is one of the only parts of the piece that is completely darkened. The viewer’s eyes are immediately drawn to it, making it one of the most important aspects.

Intaglio gives you the most options, from what I can see. The engraving method seems similar to the relief carving process. Although, engraving does appear to have a few more steps involved that may require extra care. The etching process is what really fascinates me. It is an extreme way to create markings on a plate. Aquatinting seems very useful in the creation of specks or tones to make the design more dynamic. Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes is one of my favorite artists of all time. His piece Enterrar y Callar from the Disasters of War series uses the methods of etching, aquatint, drypoint, and engraving. Different tones are created by the use of line. More crowded areas are darker, whereas lighter areas have less linework. The areas in which the figures lay on are darker, which creates more contrast. The figures standing up are darker, which is contrasting to the light background behind them.  These contrasts make the figures pop out, as well as make the entire piece more dynamic.

https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcSWMjta5F3sRFIvofsrt6fqxnR5w3LB7JfaV5IIJ5WVfy2d1kWlnIr5pXoVkn3lts0sqwMzHHyLD-f3ogAgGrDoSk1dApBmUM7OFLUeUKOXlOJ-Eshr9SUile_zSb2QFbJx1pjBx2X_ATETl1Durr0xbx9Ir9WS1D2unZvNUAl2D7JT7P7og?key=TNSs6qkezLqYAin4SRtjKA