The print industry

Hand:Techniques

Method Advantages Disadvantages Examples (pictures)

Etching a method of making prints from a metal plate, usually copper, into which the design has been incised by acid. The copperplate is first coated with an acid-resistant substance ,which the design is drawn with a sharp tool. The plate is then exposed to nitric acid or dutch mordant, which eats away those areas of the plate unprotected by the ground, forming a pattern of recessed lines.

• Many circuits can be etched at once 

• Circuits can be very compact - the etched tracks replace wires and leads.

• If the circuit needs to be updated then it will need to be re-designed and re-etched from scratch

• Uses some nasty chemicals that can be harmful.

Linocut Linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife with the raised areas representing a reversal of the parts to show printed. The linoleum sheet is inked with a roller and then impressed onto paper or fabric. The actual printing can be done by hand or with a press.

• Sturdy• Easy for simple

designs

• Mistakes are irreversible

• Time consuming• Limited colour

application• Long time to dry

Screen print Mesh is stapled to a wooden or metal frame.Masking tape stuck around underside of the screenStencil design cut.Stencil placed under frame but above paper.Line of ink placed at one end of screen.Use squeegee to draw ink across screen, pressing firmlyCarefully lift screen.Evaluate and repeat.

• Economical • Quicker process• Larger designs• Wide range of

utility• Sturdy and tough

• Takes a long time- particularly high quality prints.

• It is financially impractical for the production of a single item particularly for colour printing advertising applications.

Woodcut It’s a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed. The areas to show ‘white’ are cut away with a knife or chisel, leaving the characters or image to show in ‘black’ at the original surface level.

• Cheaper to buy• Cheap materials• Robust quality

• Time consuming

Lithography A printing plate with a relief image is dampened with water and then coated with ink. The ink only sticks to the parts of the plate that are not wet with water. The printing plate is fixed to a roller and the image is transferred onto paper fed under the roller. Lithography is used for medium and long print runs of products such as magazines, posters, packaging and books.

• It’s fast• Cheap• The images

produced are clear and sharp

• Cant produce high quality prints

• Materials are complex to use

Mechanical:Technique Method Advantages Disadvantages Example

(picture)

Letterpress Letterpress is a form of relief printing. It can be used to create both type and illustrations. It is used for small printing jobs such as business cards and stationery.

• Straight forward process

• Sharp images• Any type of

paper can be used.

• Time consuming• The range of

fonts and styles are limited

• Colour disadvantage

Gravure In gravure printing, the image is made up of small holes sunk in the surface of the printing plate. The holes are filled with ink and any excess is removed. Paper comes into contact with the ink in the holes when it is pressed against the plate. They are used for magazines, mail-order catalogues, packaging and printing onto fabric.

• Photographic Quality

• Bright colours • Best appearance

• High cost • Time needed to

engrave

Screen process Is a print made by pushing ink through a screen.

• Can be used on glass, plastics and textured surfaces

• Durability• images can be

scaled upwards

• Limited colour mixing

• Multi step process

Digital:Technique Method Advantages Disadvantages Examples

(pictures)

photocopying Photocopiers can enlarge and reduce images, and process paper and card. They can also be used for back-to-back copying and to collate multiple copies.

• They make large amounts of copies

• they are easy to understand on how to use

• Speed• cost

• Its heavy and it takes up a lot of space.

• Lack of reliability

Laser printing Laser printing is an electrostatic digital printing process that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics by passing a laser beam over a charged drum to define a differentially charged image. The drum then selectively collects charged toner and transfers the image to paper, which is then heated to permanently fix the image.

• Colour printing is possible

• Print quality• Noiseless

• Cost of ink• When printed

they are wet so need to dry

• Printing is slow

Inkjet Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that creates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto paper, plastic, or other substrates.

• Colour is perfect

• faster

• Very expensive

Desktop publishing

 is the creation of documents using page layout skills on a personal computer. Desktop publishing software can generate layouts and produce typographic quality text and images comparable to traditional typography and printing.

• Frame based• Easy to use• Multiple available

templates

• Slow installation• Not very precise

layouts

Etching

• ‘The Soldier and his Wife’ Etching by Daniel Hopfer. Who is believed to have been the first to apply the technique to printmaking.

Linocut

• Linocut by Carl Eugen Keel.

Screen print

• Screen print technique by Margret Hofheinz-Döring.

Woodcut

• ‘Four horsemen of the Apocalypse’ by Albrecht Dürer

Lithography

• Charles Marion Russell’s ‘The Custer Fight’ (1903), with the range of tones fading toward the edges.

Gravure

• Rotogravure portrait of Charles Darwin.