Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Printmaker's Dilemma

What defines a true printmaker?

By definition, a printmaker is an artist who designs and makes prints.

So, what is printmaking?

Webster's Dictionary says that printmaking is "the design and production of prints by an artist."

That's it, Webster? That's so very general and it sucks. I like Britannica's version better:

Art form consisting of the production of images, usually on paper but occasionally on fabric, parchment, plastic, or other support, by various techniques of multiplication, under the direct supervision of or by the hand of the artist. Such fine prints are considered original works of art, even though they can exist in multiple copies. The major techniques are relief printing, where the background is cut away, leaving a raised image; intaglio printing, where the image is incised directly into the plate; surface printing such as lithography, where the image is painted or drawn onto a stone; and stencil printing, where the design is cut out and printed by spraying paint or ink through the stencil. The history of printmaking parallels the history of art and is one of the oldest art forms.
Damn skippy!

Here lies the dilemma: To giclee or not to giclee

Personally, I prefer not to create giclees. If you do not know what a giclee print is, just go purchase an official Jazz Fest poster or Mardi Gras poster, or reproduction of Van Gogh's paintings. Those are giclees. Now, I have no problem with giclees, if they are used for what they are meant to be used for. I don't mind mass reproductions of things like the above mentioned, but if your intentions are to make ONE hand-pulled print and then reproduce all the others while still signing those prints as editions, my friend, YOU are a sell-out. Too many people do not fully appreciate the hand-pulled print anymore. There's a sense of accomplishment with that edition of 50 you pulled one by one off of the press and then proceeded to sign each one. A real printmaker can tell if your print is original or not....don't even try to fool them! No indentation around the borders.....giclee. No embossed edges or images with the ink....giclee. Unless of course, it's a lithograph. That's something a bit different. MUCH more time consuming than etching or relief printing. There's no embossments with silkscreened images either, but you can still tell.....you can "feel" the ink.

Sorry to go on a bit of a rant here, but I'm tired of it all. I know that most people can't tell the difference and nor do they really care. Most are just interested in the image. But it's the ethical nature of a true printmaker that will get you an original, hand-pulled, editioned and hopefully damn valuable piece of art.

There. I'm done.

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