Discover the different techniques used to create printed artwork and why printing matters.
Printing is a fascinating area of art that allows an image or design to be transferred and repeated. Unlike drawing or painting, printing involves creating a ‘plate’ or ‘block’ and using it to make multiple copies. There are several main types of printing. In relief printing (like lino printing or block printing), the design is carved into a flat surface so that the raised areas pick up ink and transfer it to paper — think of it like a rubber stamp. Screen printing forces ink through a mesh screen where areas have been blocked to create a design. Monoprinting transfers a unique, one-off image by drawing or painting on a flat, non-absorbent surface and pressing paper onto it. Collagraphy uses a collage of textures glued to a board as the printing plate. Printing has been central to human communication since Gutenberg’s printing press in the 15th century, and it remains a hugely important technique in both fine art and graphic design.
