Printmaking: Multiples, Matrices, and Mark

Printmaking is the family of processes in which an image is created on a surface called a matrix and then transferred, usually with ink and pressure, onto paper or another support. Because the matrix can be re-inked, printmaking allows an artist to produce multiple originals, called an edition. This lesson surveys the main printmaking families and the distinctive visual qualities each one offers.

Why printmaking matters

Printmaking sits between drawing and mechanical reproduction. Historically it made images affordable and widely distributed, from religious pictures to political posters, so the medium carries associations with communication, protest, and the popular image. For a Visual Arts student, printmaking is valuable because it forces planning: the artist must think in reverse (many