Printmaking Research

Research the following:

1. What is a print? (1 point)

Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template.

2. What are the 4 types of printmaking? (1 point)

relief, intaglio, planographic, and stencil.

3. Briefly describe the history of the following: (4 points)

a. Woodcut: A relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the
surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with
the surface while removing the non-printing parts.

b. Lithography: Invented around 1796 in Germany by an otherwise unknown Bavarian

playwright, Alois Senefelder, who discovered that he could duplicate his scripts by writing
them in greasy crayon on slabs of limestone and then printing them with rolled-on ink.

c. Etching: Is believed to have been invented by Daniel Hopfer of Augsburg, Germany.

Hopfer was a craftsman who decorated armor in this way, and applied the method to
printmaking, using iron plates (many of which still exist).

d. Screenprint: Screen Printing originated in China during the Song Dynasty as a way of
transferring designs onto fabrics. Japan was one of the first Asian countries to start
making recognizable forms of screen printing.

4. Find a YouTube Video or website that explains the steps to the following types. (4 points)

a. Woodcut: To create a woodblock print, first the artist drew the design on paper, and then
transferred it to a thinner, more transparent paper. The paper was pasted to the woodblock, and
then the carver followed the drawing, chiseling the edges to create a design in relief. The ink was
applied to the surface of the woodblock.

b. Lithography: A printing process based on the fact that grease and water don't mix. The image is
applied to a grained surface (traditionally stone but now usually aluminum) using a greasy
medium: such as a special greasy ink – called tusche, crayon, pencils, lacquer, or synthetic
materials.

c. Etching: Using a blunt stylus called an etching needle, the printmaker gently scratches away
parts of the ground following the design, thereby exposing the metal beneath. Once the entire
design has been drawn into the ground, acid is poured over the plate or the plate is dipped in
acid.

d. Screenprint: Screen printing (traditionally called silkscreen printing; also known as serigraphy
and serigraph printing) is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink (or dye) onto a
 substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.

5. Pick your favorite example of each type. Paste the image below and indicate the artist's
name and title. Explain why you chose that piece of art. (4 points)

a. Woodcut:

(Medicine Samurai Logo by Peter Nevins)

b. Lithography:

(The Sick Child by Edvard Munch)

c. Etching:

(Laughing Clown by Teresa Oaxaca)

d. Screenprinting:

(Girl with a Fig Leaf by Lucian Freud)

Artist Research: Research the following artists and select at least three.  Provide your favorite
example of their work, what issue it is or was it addressing, and the techniques/symbolism/art
elements used to emphasize this issue.  You are also free to find printmaking artists of your
choosing to address these questions. ( 6 points for each artist)
 
1.   Kathe Kollwitz
a.  Favorite piece and why? In Memoriam Karl Liebknecht, it shows a lot of emotion
b. the issue addressed and how? Death as there is a dead body and people mourning
this body
c.  Techniques/symbolism/art elements used? woodcut?

2. Eric Avery
a.  Favorite piece and why? Stash house shows a lot of meaning
b. issue addressed and how? Overpopulation as there are people sleeping on the
ground and in small areas
c.  Techniques/symbolism/art elements used? woodcut?

3. Sue Coe
a.  Favorite piece and why? Doctor MAGA as it shows the reality of the virus that's
plaguing us
b.  Issue addressed and how? Anti maskers?
c. Techniques/symbolism/art elements used? Etching?
 

32 Points Total: