The graphic art of printmaking, unlike many other media ,allows for the multiple reproduction of an image. Artists have long used printmaking to create illustrated books and popular artworks meant to reach a wide audience-printing with moveable type developed in China in the eleventh century and in Europe in the fifteenth century. There are many different printmaking techniques, each producing distinctive visual effects.
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| Wood Cut Graphic Art |
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| Engraving Graphic Art |
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| Etching Graphic Arts |
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| Lithography Graphic Arts |
- woodcut: The design is carved into a wood block. The cut-away areas and lines appear white on the print. Extremely fine lines are difficult to achieve, because the wood will split if cut too finely.
- engraving: The engraver cut lines into a metal plate using a special tool called a burin. The lines are sharp and clear , and often finer than those achieved with woodcut.
- etching: The etcher covers a metal plate with a wax ground and then draws in it with a blunt needle. The plate is dipped in an acid bath, which eats away the exposed areas of the metal. These lines then hold the ink for printing. Etched lines are typically looser and freer than engraved lines.
- lithography: The lithographer draws a picture on a flat polished stone using a special kind of crayon. The ink clings to the crayon to form the print. Developed in 1798, this medium allows the printmaker to work freely, and the resulting print has many qualities of a drawing.
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