Printmaking is a discipline that encompasses a variety of printing techniques that are based on traditional craftsmanship. It uses a variety of methods, such as relief, intaglio or flat printing. Artists create matrices that are used to make a series of prints. Each technique is characterised by a unique approach to the material and the creative process, resulting in uncommon effects, reflected in precise lines and complex textures. Traditional craftsmanship in workshop printmaking remains a key element, giving the works depth and unique character.

HISTORY OF PRINTMAKING

The origins of printmaking can be traced back to antiquity, but its development as a separate art discipline developed in the Middle Ages. The first attempts at printmaking were associated with relief printing techniques, the most famous being ancient seal impressions and Chinese woodcuts with a wooden matrix. The aforementioned technique spread on a larger scale on silk and paper, among others.

The invention of printing by Gutenberg in the 15th century was not only a ground-breaking discovery, but at the same time a moment of flourishing for this discipline. The Renaissance saw the development of copperplate printing, a technique belonging to intaglio printing which allows precise images to be created. This technique involves creating a drawing with a stylus on a metal plate and then cutting out the contours. In the next step, the plate is covered with a special ink, which will only remain in the grooves that have been gouged out. The finished engraving is suitable for rebinding on a pre-prepared press. Albrecht Dürer was one of the first masters of this technique. It is also worth mentioning that, thanks to this artist, printmaking gained the status of an autonomous art.

During this period, people also began to experiment with new techniques, such as etching, which allowed the creation of finer lines by etching the matrix with acid. Etching is based on a drawing created on a metal plate covered with varnish. The prepared work goes into acid, which then absorbs the metal where the varnish has been scraped off, creating a concave image.

In the 17th and 18th centuries printmaking became extremely popular, and intaglio techniques such as aquatint and mezzotint allowed for even richer effects. This was a time when artists began to combine different techniques to produce more complex compositions. Aquatint comes from the Italian word acqua tinta, which means dyed water. With this method, the characteristic smooth transitions between tones can be achieved. The aquatint technique uses a copper or zinc metal plate, which is first covered with a fine powder of rosin or asphalt and then heated. The powder adheres to the surface of the plate in fine, irregular particles, creating a granular texture. After this stage, the artist immerses the plate in acid, which etches the exposed metal fragments between the powder grains. One of the most famous artists to use this technique was the Spanish artist, Francisco Goya.

Mezzotint, on the other hand, is characterised by soft tonal transitions that resemble the chiaroscuro found in oil paintings. This technique does not require etching in acid. Mezzotint is one of the most complex and demanding intaglio printing methods, but also the most rewarding in terms of the results obtained. The basis of mezzotint is the preparation of a metal plate, which is evenly covered with a grid of tiny recesses using a cradle. This special tool has a sharp, serrated edge that repeatedly scratches the surface of the plate, creating thousands of small dots.

The early 20th century saw the emergence of the linocut, which developed many possibilities for the creation of illustrations. Artists began to experiment with linoleum as a replacement for the more difficult-to-work-with wood used in woodcutting. Linoleum proved ideal for cutting because it was soft, flexible and easier to work with than wood, allowing artists to make more complex and dynamic graphic compositions. One of the most famous artists to start using linoleum was Pablo Picasso, who took the technique to a new level in the 1950s and 1960s by creating multicoloured, intricate prints.

Another technique was screen printing, otherwise known as serigraphy. Screen printing did not fully develop until the 1930s in the United States, when stencils made from photosensitive emulsion began to be used. The silkscreen technique became hugely popular in the 1960s thanks to artists associated with the Pop Art movement, especially Andy Warhol, who used silkscreen to create his famous reproduced images, such as portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Campbell’s soup cans. Screen printing has also become an essential tool in consumer graphics, in the production of posters, T-shirts and many other everyday items. The basis of serigraphy is a frame onto which a fine mesh of synthetic materials is stretched. A stencil is placed on the mesh using a light-sensitive emulsion onto which ink is applied. It is then squeezed through the holes using a squeegee, a flat tool with a flexible blade. The ink passes through the exposed areas of the grid and transfers to the surface, creating a print. Once the paint is reflected onto the material, the print is left to dry. Each colour in the composition requires a separate grid and a separate printing process, making screen printing particularly popular for multi-colour work.

PRINTMAKING AT SOA

Our gallery artists also work in a variety of printmaking techniques. Agata Gertchen most often uses linocut, which oscillates between abstraction and still life. Banal objects take on a new meaning, and the analysis of these trivial elements is a key motif in her artistic output.

Przemyslaw Tyszkiewicz, on the other hand, works in traditional techniques such as copperplate, etching and aquatint. In recent years, he has been experimenting with larger formats, creating on metal plates – cords and monumental sheets of glass. The artist’s works are on the borderline between daydream and reality, thus creating an oneiric character to the works.

Wojciech Tylbor-Kubrakiewicz, on the other hand, creates in linocut and silkscreen. The artist focuses on motifs of travel, memory and everyday spaces. In his works, he treats distant wanderings as equal to everyday life, and many of them have the character of a personal diary.

SUMMARY

Printmaking is a rich and diverse art discipline that has evolved and adapted to new technologies and artistic pursuits for centuries. Techniques such as copperplate, etching, aquatint, mezzotint, linocut and silkscreen, although different in the way they are executed, share the common goal of creating unique works that reflect the artist’s personal vision. Thanks to their precise craftsmanship and wealth of techniques, printmaking continues to be a vital and inspiring element of contemporary art.