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.