Classroom Activity

Printmaking Basics

The image is a black and white print depicting a wide, winding road leading towards a group of small, abstracted buildings on the horizon. The horizon line is high in the composition, and the buildings appear as simplified forms. Figures are seen walking down the road, portrayed in dark silhouettes, creating a sense of movement towards the distance. The technique seems to be a stark, bold graphic style, likely a woodcut or linocut print, featuring defined lines and shapes. The color palette is monochrome, using only black and white with high contrast and strong compositional elements.
Walter Gramatté, The Burial (Begrabnis), 1916, linocut in black on thin japan paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1989.80.4

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The image consists of multiple rectangular panels with wavy lines and blocky shapes, creating a fragmented landscape. The colors used are rich earth tones such as reds, blacks, blues, greens, and beige, resembling rock formations and valleys.
Clare Romano, Associated American Artists, Grand Canyon, 1977, color collagraph on wove paper, Gift of Bob Stana and Tom Judy, 2016.148.44

Collagraph: The base of a collagraph print is made from cardstock, wood, or metal. String and other materials are glued or attached in layers to the base to form an image. The artist inks the base and presses paper on top to create the print.

The image is a black and white print depicting a wide, winding road leading towards a group of small, abstracted buildings on the horizon. The horizon line is high in the composition, and the buildings appear as simplified forms. Figures are seen walking down the road, portrayed in dark silhouettes, creating a sense of movement towards the distance. The technique seems to be a stark, bold graphic style, likely a woodcut or linocut print, featuring defined lines and shapes. The color palette is monochrome, using only black and white with high contrast and strong compositional elements.
Walter Gramatté, The Burial (Begrabnis), 1916, linocut in black on thin japan paper, Ruth and Jacob Kainen Collection, 1989.80.4

Linocut: To make a linocut, the artist carves an image into a block of linoleum with a sharp knife or chisel, inks the block with a roller (called a brayer), and then presses paper against the block by hand or with a printing press. Uncarved areas hold the ink; the areas where linoleum was removed do not appear in the final print.

This print shows an abstract crane or heron created with long, flowing lines. The bird is depicted with an elongated, curved neck and a long beak, and it is standing on one leg, facing the left, with a small fish-shaped object in its beak. There are loose, curved lines suggesting floral shapes beside the bird on the left. The bird is white, while the rest of the print, including the fish and flowers, is colored in a vibrant gradient of dark blue at the bottom to a greenish turquoise at the top.
Romare Bearden, Robert Blackburn, Limited Editions Club, Untitled from The Caribbean Poetry of Derek Walcott and the Art of Romare Bearden, 1983, color lithograph on Rives paper, Gift of Jane and Raphael Bernstein, 2002.115.1.2

Lithograph: To make a lithograph, the artist uses a greasy drawing tool on a prepared flat stone or metal plate. An acidic solution with gum arabic fixes the drawing to the surface and allows it to accept ink. Blank areas repel the ink. The stone is also moistened with water. Ink sticks to the greasy areas but not to the damp areas of the moistened stone. The printmaker places a damp sheet of paper on the inked image and runs it through a lithographic press, which applies enough pressure to transfer the image to the paper.

The image shows a landscape with a building on a hill, surrounded by trees. The scene is in monochrome with a focus on shadows and textures. The view is slightly elevated, looking down a slope towards the left where the building is located. The sky is heavily shaded, adding to the contrast. The building's sharp architectural details are emphasized. There is a faint glow on the horizon, hinting at a sun. Barren trees in the foreground partially obstruct the view of the building. The brushstrokes are fine and linear, creating an etched appearance. The use of dark tones and some lighter lines enhances the play between shadow and light. The color palette is limited to shades of gray and black, creating a moody atmosphere.
Luigi Conconi, Solitudine [Solitude], 1892, etching with monotype wiping, printed in black on wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2017.76.1

Monoprint: A monoprint is a unique impression that can be made only one time (rather than making multiple copies of the same image).

The image features a large circle filled with abstract lines and shapes, including a prominent tree trunk that divides the composition. The tree extends into various sections that appear to depict different landscapes. Surrounding the tree are colorful, bird-like forms in vibrant shades of red, white, yellow, green, blue, purple, and orange. The upper portion of the circle contains areas of contrasting hues, including bright yellow and deep blue. The entire scene blends elements of nature with an abstract style, connecting familiar forms with an imaginative and colorful realm.
Lou Stovall, The Workshop, Inc., Sea to Shining Sea, 2008, color screenprint on wove paper, Gift of Lou and Di Stovall, 2009.8.1

Screenprint: Also known as a serigraph or a silkscreen, a screenprint is created with stencils. Silk or synthetic fabric is stretched tightly over a frame to form a screen. Stencils attached to the screen not only create an image or shape, but they also prevent ink or paint from passing through blocked-off areas of the screen. Ink or paint is forced through the screen with a squeegee, one color at a time. Any ink or paint that passes through the screen leaves color on the paper.

Clare Romano, Calcio (Soccer), 1958, woodcut, Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of Reba and Dave Williams, 2008.115.4135

Woodcut: In the relief printmaking technique of woodcut, the artist carves a design or image into a block of wood with a knife or another sharp tool. The untouched areas are later coated with ink and pressed to paper; the areas where wood was removed do not appear in the final print. This technique, considered the oldest form of printmaking, dates to the seventh century in China.

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