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Glossary of Terms
Arabic Numbered Impression. Impressions
from the commercial edition are usually designated by an Arabic
number over another Arabic number. The lower number indicates the
size of the edition, the upper number the sequence in which the
impressions have been signed. In the printing of an edition of
lithographs the first impression should be no different than the
last impression signed, thus there is no reason to record the
sequence in which they are printed. In color lithography such a
practice would be fruitless in any event because the impressions
are not normally printed in the same sequence as each color is
added. In lithography, the true meaning of the number l/20 for
example is that the impression is one of an edition of 20 Arabic
numbered impressions, not specifically that it is the first
pulled of twenty impressions. Each impression in the Arabic
numbered edition is compared to the bon a' tirer and
should be essentially like it.
In Intaglio printing, the first impressions
pulled are generally of better quality than later impressions,
due to abrasion of the printing plate during the printing
process. In an edition of etchings for example, the number of the
impression should indicate the sequence of printing. With the
availability of more modern techniques and the plating of etching
plates to reduce abrasion, editions of etchings are now generally
more consistent and the higher numbers in the edition are more
comparable to the lower numbers.
Archive Impression. These impressions
are retained by the workshop for purposes of study, reference and
exhibition. They are signed as archive impressions and are
comparable to the bon a' tirer.
Artist's Edition. See Arabic Numbered
Impression.
Artist's Proof. The artist proof is an
impression of comparable quality to the impressions of the
numbered edition. These impressions are usually retained by the
artist and should be limited in number, to a small percentage of
the total number of impressions in the edition.
Bon a' Tirer. The bon a' tirer is the
first impression which is fully acceptable to the artist and the
printer. This impression serves as the standard of quality to
which each impression is compared. It is printed on the same
paper as the edition and is inscribed by the artist "Bon a'
Tirer" to authorize printing of the edition.
- Cancellation Proof. A proof or
impression pulled from a defaced stone, plate, block or
screen to show that the edition has been limited and no
further prints can be made from the artist's original art
work.
Color Separation Proof. A color separation proof is an impression of a
single run printed in the color of the edition.
Color Trial Proof. Color trial
proofs are printed prior to the bon a' tirer. A
color trial proof differs from the edition in the color
of the ink that is used. These impressions result as
colors are adjusted and tried or "proofed."
Color trial proofs record variations in color and in the
proofing of a complex color print there may be many of
them, each differing from the other. At the discretion of
the artist, these proofs may be signed "color trial
proof", "CTP", or they may be destroyed.
Copyright Blindstamp. A stamp,
printed in ink, on the reverse of each impression in the
edition which discloses the owner of the copyright.
- Documentation. The documentation is
the disclosure statement, of pertinent information about
an edition. It is a record of the execution and printing
of the edition and a statement of authenticity.
- Edition. The total number of prints
pulled and signed by the artist. In addition to the bon
a' tirer and Arabic numbered impressions, an edition
of prints might also include artist's proofs, roman
numbered impressions, record or archive impressions,
publisher's proofs, presentation proofs, museum
impressions, hors commerce impressions, printer's proofs,
color trial proofs, trial proofs or any combination
thereof.
Etching. An
intaglio process in which an acid-resistant ground is
applied to a metal p0late, usually copper or zinc, and an
image is cut into the ground by the artist using an
etching needle or another tool to expose the metal of the
plate. Acid is then applied to bit the plate, eating away
the exposed lines. The time the plate is exposed to the
acid as well as temperature determines the depth of the
lines. When the plate is inked, covered with the dampened
paper, and run through an etching press, the pressure of
the press forces the paper into the etched lines of the
drawing and ink is transferred to the paper. This results
in an impression or print of the image on the plate.
- F -
- G -
- Hors Commerce. A European designation for
impressions from the edition that are of quality, fully comparable to the
Arabic numbered edition, sometimes printed on a special paper
- Intaglio. One of the four major
divisions of printmaking in which an image is either cut
or bitten by acid into a metal plate, usually copper of
zinc. Intaglio includes a number of different techniques
such as etching, mezzotint, drypoint, engraving and
aquatint. Intaglio prints may consist of one or any
combination of these techniques.
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- Impression. An imprint on paper or
some other material resulting from contact with an inked
image on stone, plate, block or screen.
- Linoleum Cut. A relief print,
sometimes called a linocut, made from an image cut into a
piece of linoleum. This technique was made famous by
Picasso; who used the medium in an inventive way to
produce fine art prints. Prior to Picassco's use of this
printmaking medium the linoleum cut was considered to be
an inexpensive and elementary print medium in primary
schools and arts and crafts workshops.
Lithograph. See Original Lithograph.
Lithography. One of the four
major divisions of printmaking in which a drawing is made
with a greasy substance on a stone (limestone, marble,
onyx) or metal plate (aluminum or zinc). The surface is
then treated chemically so that the image areas accept
ink and the non-image areas, when dampened with water,
repel ink. Lithography is a planographic medium with
impressions pulled from a perfectly flat surface, unlike
intaglio and woodblock printing in which the surface is
in relief.
Lithography was invented, in 1798 by a
German, Alois Senefelder who had been experimenting with
limestone slabs from the nearby quarry of Solnhofen
(Bavaria). One day he was asked by his mother to write
down a laundry list and he made the list with his
homemade ink on a clean stone. Before washing the stone
off, he became curious as to what would happen if he
treated the stone with aqua fortis (nitric acid) and
water. When he washed off the stone he discovered that
the greasy areas accepted ink and the untouched areas,
when dampened with water, rejected ink because of the
natural antipathy of grease and water. The greasy letters
accepted even more ink when rolled with an inking roller
and the first lithographic print was born. Senefelder
continued to experiment to refine and perfect his
technique, using a gum solution to make the stone even
more receptive and absorbent of water. The basic
techniques developed by Senefelder have been passed on
almost intact to the current generation of artists and
printers, however, even though the principles involved in
the printing of fine multi-color lithographs are very
simple, the technical processes are complex and require a
great deal of skill and expertise. Today lithography is
probably the most popular of all printmaking media,
offering artists and printers the widest range of
techniques.
- Museum Impression. Museum
impressions originated at Western Graphics Workshop where
artists, at the discretion of workshop were given the
option of designating one or more impressions from each
edition as museum impressions. These impressions are
generally donated to museums of the workshop's choice in
an effort to help museums build their print collections
and bring new work before the public.
- Original Lithograph. A print
conceived and executed by the artist on a flat stone or
plate and printed either by the artist or a collaborating
printer. Each impression is pulled directly from the
artist's drawing unlike offset lithography where the
image is "offset' from a rubber blanket. Because
each impression is pulled directly from the artist's
original drawing, each impression is an original
lithograph.
- Presentation Proof. Impressions
which are essentially the same as the bon a' tirer
which the artist has inscribed for a friend, collaborator
or collector. If such impressions bear no designation
other than the artist's designation or inscription, they
should be recorded in the documentation as presentation
proofs.
Printer's Chop.
The personal embossed seal, of the collaborating printer
or principal printer of the edition. When this chop or
embossed seal is used, it is usually at the bottom of
each impression and will be on each impression in the
edition.
Printer's Proof. At the
discretion of the artist and/or workshop, the printer(s)
who prints the edition may be given a proof in
recognition of a job well done. When a printer is given a
proof, the proof is inscribed by the artist as printer's
proof or PP. In some editions, there may be a number of
printer's proofs depending on how many printers worked on
the edition. The printer's proof is on the same paper as
the edition and is essentially identical to the bon a'
tirer.
Progressive Proof. An impression
printed in the colors of the edition showing a successive
sequence of runs.
Publisher's Proof. A publisher's
proof is an impression of a quality comparable to the
printed edition and the bon a tirer. It is
considered the personal property of the publisher of the
edition.
- Record Impression. Impressions
retained by the workshop for purposes of study, reference
and exhibition. They are signed as record impressions and
are comparable to the bon a' tirer.
Roman
Numbered Impressions In addition to
the regular Arabic numbered edition, a smaller reserved
or preferred edition may be printed. To distinguish these
impressions from the Arabic numbered impressions they are
designated with roman numbers. They may be sold either as
a subscription series to individual collectors or
institutions or as individual impressions.
Run. A single inking and
printing of a single drawing from a stone, plate, block
or screen.
- Separation Proof. An impression of
a single run printed in black to show an individual run
as drawn by the artist.
Serigraph. A print produced using the process of
serigraphy generally referred to as silkscreen printing.
Serigraphy. One of the four
major divisions of printmaking, commonly referred to as
silkscreen printing. Serigraphy is essentially a stencil
process, in which ink is forced with a squeegee through a
silk screen onto the paper below. The non-image areas of
the print are blocked out with a mask of glue, paper or
some other specially prepared material to stop out the
screen, allowing ink to pass through the screen only in
the image area. Silkscreen printing was held in low
esteem for more than a quarter of a century because of
its unfavorable reputation as a purely commercial medium,
however, with the development of new techniques and
increased interest by artists in the medium, serigraphy
has become an art form in its own right.
Silkscreen. A general term used
to describe the screen processed images for commerce and
industry. In order to distinguish fine art prints from
the purely commercial work, a new term was later coined
and fine art silkscreen prints became known as
serigraphs.
State. A term used to describe a
print that shows work in a particular state of
development or to distinguish between editions of the
same or closely related images such as State I, State II,
State III, etc. During the proofing process, an artist
will view as number of different proofs. Occasionally,
several proofs will appeal to the artist for different
aesthetic reasons or he may wish to print one edition of
a particular proof and then make additions or deletions
and print a second edition. In such cases, the first
edition printed is designated State I, the second edition
State II, and so on.
State Proof. State proofs are
impressions that differ markedly from the numbered
edition. They come into being prior to the major
alterations in the stone or plate. If an image under goes
a series of major modifications there may well be a
series of differing state proofs which together record
the evolution of the image.
- Trial Proof. An impression printed
prior to the bon a' tirer. It may be in the colors
of the edition but printed prior to minor additions or
deletions in the image or on a different paper from the
edition. A trial proof may also be an impression printed
in black from a one run, one color image either on the
same paper as the edition or on a different paper from
the edition.
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Western Graphics Workshop, Inc.
