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Fine Art Terminology
THREE MAJOR PRINT-MAKING PROCESSES
Intaglio - The process of incising a design beneath the
surface of hard metal or stone. Plates are inked only in the etched depressions on the
plates and then the plate surface is wiped clean. The ink is then transferred onto the
paper through an etching press. The printing is done with a plate bearing an image in
intaglio and includes all metal-plate etching and engraving processes. The reverse of this
process is known as relief printing.
Planographic - The process to print impressions from a smooth surface
rather than from creating incised or relief areas on the plate. The term was devised to
describe lithography.
Relief - All printing processes in which the non-printing areas of the
block or plate are carved, engraved, or etched away. Inks are applied onto the protected
surface and transferred onto the paper. The reverse process is known as intaglio printing.
COMMON PRINT-MAKING TECHNOLOGIES
Aquatint - Printing technique caPablo of producing
unlimited tonal gradations to re-create the broad flat tints of ink wash or watercolor
drawings by etching microscopic crackles and pits into the image on a master plate,
typically made of copper or zinc. The majority of Spanish artist Goya's (1746-1828)
graphic works were done using this technique.
Blind - Printing using an un-inked plate to produce the subtle embossed
texture of a white-on-white image, highlighted by the shadow of the relief image on the
un-inked paper. This technique is used in many Japanese prints.
Collagraph - Printing technique in which proofs are pulled from a block
on which the artwork or design is built up like a collage, creating a relief.
Drypoint - Printing technique of intaglio, engraving in which a hard,
steel needle incises lines on a metal plate, creating a burr that yields a
characteristically soft and velvety line in the final print.
Engraving - Printing technique in which an intaglio image is produced by
cutting a metal plate or box directly with a sharp engraving tool. The incised lines are
inked and printed with heavy pressure.
Etching - Printing technique in which a metal plate is first covered with
an acid-resistant material, then worked with an etching needle to create an intaglio
image. The exposed met-al is eaten away in an acid bath, creating depressed lines that are
later inked for printing. This technique was thought re-, have been developed by Daniel
Hopfer (1493-1536). Etching surpassed engraving as the most popular graphic art during the
active years of Rembrandt and Hercules Segher in the 17th century, and it remains one of
the most versatile and subtle printing techniques today.
Iris or Giclée - "Giclée," from the French word that means
to spray, is a process of print- making that eliminates the use of screens
or mechanical devices to avoid any visible dot screen pattern. Pioneered in
the late 1970's through the use of 4-color ink jet printers, technology has
now advanced the process so that prints are created with multiple color
inkjet printers providing an enhanced color quality. The current giclée
process also provides superior color accuracy than other methods of
reproduction and creates images of incredible detail and vibrancy.
Giclée prints can be reproduced on a variety of surfaces, the most popular
being archival paper and canvas and can be created to almost any size. Our
giclées are printed on high quality archival watercolor paper
Lithography - Printing technique using a planographic process in which
prints are pulled on a special press from a flat stone or metal surface that has been
chemically sensitized so that- ink sticks only to the design
areas, and is repelled by the non-image areas. Lithography was invented in 1798 in
Solnhofen, Germany by Alois Senefelder. The early history of lithography is dominated by
great French artists such as Daumier and Delacroix, and later by Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec,
Picasso, Braque and Mir6.
Mezzotint - (mezzo= half + tinta= tone), a reverse engraving process used
on a copper or steel plate to produce illustrations in relief with effects of light and
shadow. The surface of a master plate is roughened with a tool called a rocker so that if
inked, it will print solid black. The areas to be white or gray in the print are rubbed
down so as nor to take ink. It was widely used in the 18th and 19th centuries to reproduce
portraits and other paintings, but became obsolete with the introduction of
photo-engraving.
Monotype - One-of-a-kind print made by painting on a sheet of metal or
glass and transferring the still-wet painting to a sheet of paper by hand or with an
etching press. If enough paint remains on the master plate, additional prints can be made,
however, the reprint will have substantial variations from the original Image. Monotype
printing is not a multiple-replica process since each print is unique.
Offset Lithography - A special photo-mechanical technique in which the
image to be printed is transferred to the negative plates and printed onto papers. Offset
lithography is very well adapted to color printing.
Pochoir - Pochoir is a refined stencil-based technique employed to
create prints or to add color to pre-existing prints. It was most popular
from the late 19th century through the 1930's with its center of activity in
Paris. Pochoir was primarily used to create prints devoted to fashion,
patterns, and architectural design and is most often associated with Art
Nouveau and Art Deco. The use of stencils dates back to as early as 500 C.E.
and was also used in Europe from the 1500's onward to decorate playing
cards, postcards and to create simple prints. It was, however, the increase
in popularity of Japanese prints in the middle of the 19th century that
spurred the refinement of the use of stencils culminating in the development
of pochoir. At the peak of its popularity in the early 20th century, there
were as many as thirty graphic design studios in France, each employing up
to 600 workers.
Serigraphy (Silkscreen)- A printing technique that makes use of a
squeegee to force ink directly on to a piece of`paper or canvas through a stencil creating
an image on a screen of silk or other fine fabric with an impermeable substance.
Serigraphy differs from most other printing in that its color areas are paint films rather
than printing-ink stains.
Woodcut - Printing technique in which the printing surface has been
carved from a block of wood. The traditional wood block is seasoned hardwood such as
apple, beech, or sycamore. A modern trend, however, is to use more inexpensive and easily
attainable soft woods such as pine. Woodcut is one of the oldest forms of printing. It was
first used by the Chinese in the 12''' century and later in Europe toward the end of the
14th century.
COMMON ART PRINT TERMS
Acid-free Paper or Canvas - Paper or canvas treated to neutralize its
natural acidity in order to protect fine are: and photographic prints from discoloration
and deterioration.
Canvas Transfer - Art reproduction on canvas which is created by a
process such as serigraphy, photomechanical, or giclee printing. Some processes can even
recreate the texture, brush strokes, and aged appearance of the original work of art.
Color-variant Suite - A set of identical prints in different color
schemes.
Impression - Fine art made by any printing or stamping process.
Limited Edition - Set of identical prints numbered in succession and
signed by the artist. The total number of prints is fixed or "limited" by the
artist who supervises the printing hlm(her)self. All additional prints have been
destroyed.
Monoprint - One-of-a-kind print conceived by the artist and printed by or
under the artist's supervision.
Montage (Collage) - An artwork comprising of portions of various existing
images such as from photographs or prints, and arranged so that they join, overlap, or
blend to create a new image.
Multiple Originals - A set of identical fine prints in which the artist
personally conceived the image, created the master plates, and executed or supervised the
entire printing process. Example: etching.
Multiple Reproductions - A set of identical fine prints reproducing the
image of an original artwork created by a non-printing process. Example: serigraph of an
oil on canvas.
Open Edition - A series of prints or objects in an art edition that has
an unlimited number of copies. Original print - One-of-a-kind print in which the artist
personally conceived the image, created the master plates, and executed the entire
printing process.
Provenance - Record of ownership for a work of art, ideally from the time
it- left the artist's studio to its present location, thus creating an unbroken ownership
history.
Remarque - Small sketch in the margin of an art print or additional
enhancements by the artist on some or all of the final prints within an edition.
Restrike - Additional prints made from a master plate, block, lithograph
stone, etc. after the original edition has been exhausted.
PRINT TYPES
Proofs are prints authorized by the artist in addition to the limited signed and numbered
edition. The total size of an art edition consists of the signed and numbered prints plus
all outstanding proofs. If a set of proofs consists of more than one print, numbers are
inscribed to indicate the number of the prints within the total number of the particular
type of proof, (e,g., A.P. 5/20 means the fifth print in a set of 20 identical. prints
authorized as artist's proofs). Proofs are generally signed by the artist as validation of
the prints.
Artist's proof - Print intended for the artist's personal use. It is a
common practice to reserve approximately ten percent of an edition as artist's proofs,
although this figure can be higher. The artist's proof is sometimes referred to by its
French name, epreuve d'artist (abbreviated E.A.). Artist's proofs can be distinguished by
the abbreviation A.P. or E.A., commonly on the lower left corner of the work.
Bon a Tirer (B.A.T.) - When the artist is satisfied with the
graphic from the finished plate, he works with his printer to pull one
perfect graphic and it is marked "Bon a Tirer," meaning "good to pull." The
printer then compares each graphic in the edition with the BAT before
submitting the graphic to the artist for approval and signature. There is
typically one BAT which becomes the property of the printer or workshop
printing the edition.
Cancellation proof - Final print made once an edition series has been finished to
show that the plate has been marred/mutilated by the artist, and will never be used again
to make more prints of the edition.
Hors d'Commerce Proof - Print identical to the edition
print intended for dealers and galleries. Hors d'Commerce (abbreviated H.C.)
proofs may or may not be signed by the artist.
Printer's proof - Print retained by the printer as a reference. Artists
often sign these prints as a gesture of appreciation.
Trial proof - Pre-cursor to a limited edition series, these initial
prints are pulled so that the artist may examine, refine, and perfect the prints to the
desired final state. Trial proofs are generally not signed.
COMMON ABBREVIATIONS USED IN ART
2nd ed - Second edition: prints of the same image as the original edition
but altered in some way (as in change of color, paper, or printing process).
2nd st. - Second state. prints of proofs which contain significant
changes from the original print.
A.P. - Artist's proof.
Del - (Latin, deleavit) He (she) drew it. Generally inscribed next to the
artist's signature.
E.A. - (French, epreuve d'artist) An artist's proof.
Exe or Imp - (Latin, excudit) He (she) executed it. The meaning is
synonymous with (Latin, impressit) he(she) printed it.
H.C. - (French, hors d'commerce) Prints from an edition intended
for dealers and galleries.
Inc. or Sculp - (Latin, incidit) He(she) cut it. The meaning is
synonymous with (Latin, impressit) he(she) carved it. These abbreviations refer to the
individuals who engraved the master plate.
Inv, or Invent - (Latin, invenit) He(she) designed it. Generally
inscribed next to the artist's signature.
Lith. or Lithe - "Lithographed By". Usually follows the name of
the printer of the lithograph.
Pinx. - (Latin, pinxit) He(she) painted it. Generally inscribed next to
the artist's signature.
PP - Printer's proof .
TP - Trial proof.
ART STYLES & ART MOVEMENTS
Abstract - A 20th century style of painting in which non-representational
lines, colors, shapes, and forms replace accurate visual depiction of objects, landscape,
and figures. The subject is often stylized, blurred, repeated or broken down into basic
forms so that it becomes unrecognizable. Intangible subjects such as thoughts, emotions,
and time are often expressed in abstract art form.
Art Nouveau - A painting, printmaking, decorative design, and
architectural style developed in England in the 1880s. Art Nouveau, primarily an
ornamental style, was not only a protest against the sterile Realism, but against the
whole drift toward industrialization and mechanization and the unnatural artifacts they
produced. The style is characterized by the usage of sinuous, graceful, cursive lines,
interlaced patterns, flowers, plants, insects and other motifs inspired by nature.
Cubism - An art style developed in 1908 by Picasso and Braque whereby the
artist breaks down the natural forms of the subjects into geometric shapes and creates a
new kind of pictorial space. In contrast to traditional painting styles where the
perspective of subjects is fixed and complete, cubist work can portray the subject from
multiple perspectives.
Dadaism - An art style founded by Hans Arp in Zurich after World War I
which challenged the established canons of art, thoughts, morality, etc. Disgusted with
the war and society in general, Dadaists expressed their feelings by creating
"non-art." The term Dada, a nonsense or baby-talk term, symbolizes the loss of
meaning in the European culture. Dada art is difficult to interpret since there is no
common foundation. Since Dadaists did not claim that the objects they created were art,
all objects (including found objects that were retrieved from waste bins and such, could
be incorporated to create non-art.
Expressionism - An art movement of the early 20th century in which
traditional adherence to realism and proportion was replaced by the artist's emotional
connection to the subject. These paintings are often abstract, the subject matter
distorted in color and form to emphasize and express the intense emotion of the artist.
Impressionism - An art movement founded in France in the last third of
the 19th century. Impressionist artists sought to break up light into its component-
colors and render its ephemeral play on various objects. The artist's vision was intensely
centered on light and the ways it transforms the visible world. This style of painting is
characterized by short brush strokes of bright colors used to recreate visual impressions
of the subject and to capture the light, climate and atmosphere of the subject: at a
specific moment in time. The chosen colors represent light- which is broken down into its
spectrum components and re-combined by the eyes into another color when viewed at a
distance (an optical mixture). The term was first used in 1874 by a journalist ridiculing
a landscape by Monet called Impressionist-Sunrise.
Pop Art - A style of art which seeks its inspiration from commercial art
and items of mass culture (such as comic strips, popular foods and brand name packaging).
Pop art was first developed in New York City in the late 1950's and soon became the
dominant avant-garde art form in the United States.
Realism - A style of painting which depicts subject matter (form, color,
space) as it appears in actuality or ordinary visual experience without distortion or
stylization.
Romanticism - An art style which emphasizes the personal, emotional and
dramatic through the use of exotic, literary, or historical subject matter.
Surrealism - An art style developed in Europe in the 1920s, characterized
by using the subconscious as a source of creativity to liberate pictorial subjects and
ideas. Surrealist paintings often depict unexpected or irrational objects in an atmosphere
of fantasy, creating a dream-like scenario.
Symbolism - An art style developed in the late 19th century characterized
by the incorporation of symbols and ideas, usually spiritual or mystical in nature, which
represent the inner life of people. Traditional modeled, pictorial depictions are replaced
or contrasted by flat mosaic-like surfaces decoratively embellished with figures and
design elements.
Trompe L'oeil (Trick of the Eye) - A style of painting in which
architectural details are rendered in extremely fine detail in order to create the
illusion of tactile (tangible) and spatial qualities. This form of printing was first used
by the Romans thousands of years ago in frescoes and murals. Trompe L'oeil can be thought
of as a form of architectural realism.
PHOTOGRAPHIC TERMS
Albumen - The most popular photographic print f~rom 1855 to 1890. Albumen
positive prints are made on paper coated with frothy egg white and salt solution and
sensitized with silver nitrate solution. The print is then finalized by exposure to
sunlight through a negative.
Carbon Print - The first permanent photographic printing process used
between 1866 to 1890. Made in three different tones: black, purple-brown, sepia. It is
made by using 3 layers of stable pigment in registration on top of each other and requires
a minimum of 12 hours to create a single print. Carbon prints are highly sought after and
rare.
Cibachrome - A positive print process known for its sharpness, rich color
saturation, and permanence. Unless interpositives are made, these prints are made from
slides and transparencies, never from color negatives.
Daguerreotype - The first practical photo process invented in 1838 in
which an image was formed on a copper plate coated with highly polished silver. Following
exposure, the image is developed in mercury vapor, resulting in a unique image on metal
that cannot be used as a negative for replication.
Dye Transfer - A high-quality color photographic printing technique
involving the transfer of dyes from three separately prepared images onto a single sheet
of paper in exact registration. Though costly, this process produces prints with sharp
registration, rich color saturation and great longevity.
Evercolor Pigment Transfer - developed by Evercolor using four layers of
separate color transfer, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, in registration to create
prints. This very costly process creates very realistic and sharp images which attain
three dimensional quality when displayed. Prints done in this process are highly sought
after and rare.
Fujicolor Print - Developed by Fuji Film of Japan, Fujicolor prints have
the best color gamut and extreme longevity. It was developed originally for 1 hour
processing. When used with the light jet printer, this process achieves amazing color
saturation, contrast control and extreme sharpness.
Photogravure (Gravure) - Started around 1879, a print process using
copper plates. The plate is sometimes chrome plated to insure sharpness and continuous
tones throughout the edition. This is a very complex and exacting photo process which
produces great longevity.
Photomontage - A composite image made by joining together portions (or
all) of more than one photograph to synthesize a unique image.
Plate - Usually a glass or metal sheer coated with light-sensitive emulsion that:
is intended to receive the image through the aperture oi~he lens o~ a camera when
insert-ed into the camera.
Platinum Print (Platinotype)- A print formed by exposing a negative in
contact with payer that has been sensitized with iron salts and a platinum compound. This
process is highly prized for its unique cones, high color saturation, exceptional details
and beautiful papers. It is a highly permanent and costly process.
Silver Gelatin - A high-quality, black-and-white photographic printing
technique in which a natural protein is used as a transparent medium to hold
light-sensitive silver halide crystals in suspension, binding them to the printing paper
or film, yet allowing for penetration of processing solutions. Made famous by
photographers like Weston and Adams, these prints require incredible skill to achieve the
rich black and white contrasts while maintaining the subtle gray tones and amazing derails
throughout the image. Popular from 1920s to present.
Other Terms
Holograph - Holograph comes from the Greek words "holo", meaning whole and "graph", meaning message. The combination means "the whole message" which is exactly what the holograph gives the viewer. A Holograph is a "reflective holograph" requiring only an ordinary uncoated light bulb on one side of the film plate to become a magical window displaying three dimensional visions of objects. These objects shift position and perspective exactly as they would if they were really there, where they only appear to be.
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