Printmaking and Reproduction Processes
What the domain tests
Printmaking and Reproduction Processes covers the classical print families, their tools and terminology, editioning, and the industrial reproduction methods used in commercial printing. Expect matching of process to matrix or tool, and questions on colour separation, halftones and press-ready artwork.
Core rules
- Relief: the image is raised; gouges cut wood or lino; a brayer rolls ink onto the raised surface. Woodcut and linocut.
- Intaglio: the image is incised below the plate surface; tools include the burin and etching needle; ink sits in the grooves and is wiped from the surface; printed under heavy pressure. Engraving, etching, drypoint, aquatint, mezzotint.
- Planography: image and non-image share one plane; lithography relies on grease–water repulsion; offset lithography is the dominant commercial process.
- Stencil: screen printing (serigraphy); ink is pushed through a mesh with a squeegee.
- Editioning: numbered edition (for example 12/25), artist's proofs, plate mark, registration.
- Reproduction: CMYK colour separation and halftone dots; screen angles commonly K 45°, M 75°, C 15°, Y 90° produce the rosette pattern; artwork needs about 3 mm bleed, crop marks and trim marks.
Worked example
A job needs 20,000 tri-fold brochures on coated paper with photographs: choose offset lithography. High volume amortises plate and set-up costs, coated stock takes offset ink well, and CMYK halftones reproduce photographs accurately. Screen printing is cheaper only for a few large flat-colour items such as tote bags; digital print wins for short runs or variable data. Cost, volume and image type are the marking logic.
Traps
Calling lithography a relief process; saying etching uses a gouge; sending RGB files instead of converting to CMYK; omitting bleed; calling screen printing intaglio because a 'screen' is involved.