Polymetaal, printmaking equipment.
A technical dictionary of print making by André Béguin.


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A print is the result of an impression. This is what distinguishes it from a drawing, a manuscript, and a painting. It is also the reason for which it can be reproduced in many examples.
The printing of a print is done using a printing element of which there are various kinds, these various kinds are classed according to the way in which the ink is placed on their surface, in fact, it is essential to differenciate, in one way or another, the areas that will receive ink from those that will not.
The following table is in function of the abovementioned distinction as to the ways of inking and the types of printing elements used. Furthemore, the reader will find the various techniques connected to each class of inking.

SOLUTIONS

PRINTING ELEMENTS

INKING AND IMPRESSION

MANUAL TECHNIQUE

INDUSTRIAL TECHNIQUE

COMMENTS

WOODCUT
(metal cuts, etc.)
the ink is on the relief area, the dra-wing is also in relief.
MATERIALS USED: wood, lino, metal, plastic,stone

*inking done with a roller sparing the hollows
*block presses against printed surface
*impression: black on white

woodcuts, xylography,
linocut, plastic cutting,
stone, plaster, metal
and stamping

typography
(letter press printing)
line block

*very slight relief of the blacks on the verso side for wood.
*clarity of typographical printing

WHITE LINE
the ink is on relief areas the drawing is in the intaglio areas
MATERIALS USED: wood (end grain), lino, metal, plastic, stone

*inking done with a roller sparing the lower areas
*block pressed against printed surface
*impression: white on black

woodengraving on endgrain wood, linotype, engraving on stone, plastic, metal, plaster, goffering, dotted manner, punch engraving

inversed line block half tone

*no relief except for goffering

INTAGLIO
the ink is in the intaglio areas the drawing is also in intaglio
MATERIALS USED: metal

*inking of the intaglio areas done with a dabber followed by wiping the plate.
*printed surface pressed onto the plate so that it is pushed into the lines.
*impression: black on white

aquatint
line engraving
etching, dry point
crayon manner
mezzotint
brush etching

photogravure or heliogravure stamping (with or without ink)

*the printing provokes a kind of golfering of the paper (plate mark, etc.)
* lines are slightly in relief

CHEMICAL METHOD
the ink catches only the areas that have been drawn and prepared no reliefs
MATERIALS USED: stone, zinc,
aluminium

*chemical preparation of the printing element
*inking done with a roller
*printed surface pressed against printing surface
*impression: black on white or white on black

lithography zincography algraphy anastatic impressions

lithography offset phototype

*the pressure exerted by the stone in lithography is slightly visible
*lines have no relief
*difficult to recognize a mechanical impression

STENCIL METHOD
the ink goes through only in the open areas
MATERIALS USED: silk, nylon, metal grids, bristol, light metal

*stopping up of areas that are not drawn
*ink forced through the cloth or through the stencil
*printed surface below the screen or stencil
*impression: black on white or white on black

serigraphy hand made stencelling

serigraphy (manual, semi-mechanical, mechanical

*impression has no relief but ink may produce slight relief
*difficult to distnguish manual from mechanical impressions

SIMPLE MANUAL TRANSFER
ink is applied directly with a brush
MATERIALS USED: glass, marble

*only one step: printed surface pressed onto inked surface

monotype

*at times it can be used to make as many as three impressions but only the first will be intensely inked

PHOTOGRAPHY
light sensitive surface exposed with manual negative of glass or plastic

*manually made negative by scratching an opaque cliché
*photographic printing

glass print photograms

photography (non-manual negative)