PRINTMAKING

A Glossary of Print Types

There are any number of tried and tested printing methods, some ancient, some recent, each as artistically valid as the other. Here are a few terms explained that you will see here in Barbara Rae’s website. For her prints only the best hand-made paper are used, and the highest quality inks.

LIMITED EDITION: An edition of a single print strictly limited. In Barbara Rae’s case editions are of 30 or less, though silkscreens can be as many as 100.

NUMBERED PRINT: Part of a limited edition, numbered by hand and signed by the artist. As each print is purchased the remaining ones increase in value.

ARTIST’S PROOF: The first ‘experimental’ impressions created; a trial run. The artist tends to hold onto these unless enough are made for sale.

SCREENPRINT: Stencil printing; the stencil is adhered to a fine mesh screen through which ink is pressed onto paper, a process also known as silkscreen.

MONOTYPE: A unique image created by transferring hand-applied ink from a flat, unaltered, smooth surface to paper.

MONOPRINT: A unique image with a potential to create multiples by the addition of drawing or watercolour, each different, one from the other.

CARBORUNDUM PRINT: Abrasive grit or other materials is glued to the printing surface to create textured, tonal areas.

ETCHING PRESS: A generic name for a printing press used to create prints. In her studio Barbara Rae uses a modern, portable Takach Press, manufactured in New Mexico, unless she is working with a technician in their workshop. Those presses tend to be the conventional, imposing, large cast iron, industrial type.

AN ORIGINAL PRINT: All Barbara Rae’s prints are original. She conceived every one, created them in their entirety, or was hands-on in producing the edition.