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Art Appreciation DB 4

This week I want to turn our attention to the 3-Dimensional arts. Sometimes students have a difficult time applying formal analysis to objects that take up space. So, this is exactly what I want you to do this week. Please select a sculpture, building, or craft object, from the chapters we have covered so far, and do a formal analysis of it. Go back to chapter 1.10 if you need some reminders. Think about line, in this case, it will be a contour line that moves through space on the surface of the object. There are usually a primary and secondary contour line, depending on the shape of the object. Then think about surface texture, is it actual or implied? Then go on to the more obvious elements of composition like color. Think also about the focal point or emphasis of the composition. All of these can be applied to objects that take up space.

Chapter 2.3 Printmaking

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MEDIA AND PROCESSES

Copyright © 2015 Thames & Hudson

Introduction

Printmaking allows the same design to be reproduced and distributed to many people

If an artist creates the master image, supervises the process, and signs the work, it is considered an original print

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Printing with inks was first used in China to print patterns on fabrics in the third century ce

Original prints differ from commercial reproductions of an artwork, where the artist may not be involved in the process

The production of two or more identical images, signed and numbered by the artist, is called an edition; when an artist produces one print, it is called a monoprint

Each printmaking technique involves a different matrix, or origination point from which the print is derived

There are four main printing processes: relief, intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy

Artists choose a particular technique because they think it will suit the kind of effect they want to achieve

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Context of Printmaking

Ancient civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia reproduced images using incised stones

The earliest printed artworks on paper were created in China

By the 15th century, woodblock printing workshops became common in Europe as paper became less expensive

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Relief Printmaking

This type of printmaking is achieved by carving away from a block of material, such as wood or linoleum, to create a raised image

Ink is applied to the raised surface (carved areas are not inked)

Image is transferred to paper or similar material by applying pressure

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Relief Printing Process

2.3.1 A brief overview of the relief printing process

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Woodblock

Traditionally, wood has been used for relief prints because it is readily available, familiar to work with, and holds up under the pressure exerted by the printing process

Prints are known as woodcuts

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Artwork: Albrecht Dürer, “The Four Horsemen”

2.3.2 Albrecht Dürer, “The Four Horsemen” from The Apocalypse, 1498. Woodcut, 15¼ × 11". Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Albrecht Dürer, “The Four Horsemen”

From Dürer's illustrated Book of Revelation

Craftsmen created a printing block from his original drawing

Resulted in thin lines and detail that could withstand the compression of repeated printings

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German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) created a series of fifteen illustrations from the Book of Revelation, a symbolic piece of writing that prophesies the Apocalypse

The horsemen represent Death, Plague, War, and Famine

Unlike cutting from a solid block of wood, a print craftsman stacks and glues a series of thin, sliced layers of wood to create a more stable printing block (similar to plywood) that will be less likely to splinter or crack

The labor was expensive, but the series made Dürer wealthy

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Artwork: Kitagawa Utamaro, Lovers in an Upstairs Room

2.3.3 Kitagawa Utamaro, Lovers in an Upstairs Room, from Uta Makura (Poem of the Pillow), 1788. Color woodblock print, 10 × 14½". British Museum, London, England

Kitagawa Utamaro, Lovers in an Upstairs Room

Utamaro uses multiple blocks in different colors; each color is carefully printed in sequence on the same sheet of paper

Popular in Japan, ukiyo-e means “pictures of the floating world”

References to a young urban cultural class

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Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806) is regarded as one of the greatest Japanese printmakers

He made images for the Japanese middle and upper classes of figures, theaters, and brothels

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Artwork: Emil Nolde, Prophet

2.3.4 Emil Nolde, Prophet, 1912. Woodcut, printed in black, composition 12⅝ × 8¾". MoMA, New York

Digital rights not available for this image. See p. 228 of the textbook.

Emil Nolde, Prophet

Nolde uses the natural character of the wood to suggest the hardships of an austere life

Relief printmaking favors dark images with strong contrast

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Emil Nolde (1867-1956) was a German Expressionist printmaker.

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Artwork: Hokusai, “The Great Wave off Shore at Kanagawa”

2.3.5 Katsushika Hokusai, “The Great Wave off Shore at Kanagawa,” from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, 1826–33 (printed later). Print, color woodcut. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Hokusai: Using the Woodblock Printing Method

Hokusai relied on skilled craftsmen who carved his original image into cherry wood

Nine blocks were used in this print; each color required its own relief block

Gateway to Art:

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The work of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is a fine example of the printmaker’s art

“The Great Wave” was one of ten prints in the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji to use a new blue color, imported from Europe, known as Prussian blue

The sequence of printing was done with great skill, ensuring that each print in the edition matched the others

The blocks of wood were used so many times that the carving eventually deteriorated

Although it is unknown how many prints were made, it is estimated there were more than 5,000

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Linocut

Linoleum is softer than woodblocks and does not show a wood grain

Linoleum (“lino”) printmaking is done by carving into the surface, then printing the raised surface left behind

The resulting prints are called linocuts

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Artwork: Stanley Donwood, “Hollywood Limousine”

2.3.6 Stanley Donwood, “Hollywood Limousine,” from the Lost Angeles series, 2012.

Black screenprint on a silver foil layer, 22 × 35¾"

Stanley Donwood, “Hollywood Limousine”

Donwood is best known for his artwork for the rock band Radiohead

Produced a series that depicts the last days of the city of Los Angeles

Cut into sheets of soft linoleum and printed on fine Japanese paper

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Real name is Dan Rickwood (b. 1968)

The soft linoleum allowed Donwood to capture the myriad of fictional events in great detail, with the kind of clarity that a storybook illustration might have

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Intaglio Printmaking

Intaglio means “cut into” in Italian

A burin cuts or gouges into a metal or Plexiglas plate

The Ink on the raised surface is wiped away, leaving ink in the scarred surface

The pressure of the printing press squeezes the plate against the paper, transferring the ink

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Intaglio Printmaking Process

2.3.7 A brief overview of the engraving process (intaglio): 1. An image is designed for the plate. 2. Using a sharp tool, the artist incises the image into the plate.

3. The plate is inked.

4. The surface of the plate is wiped, removing all ink except in the grooves

5. Paper is placed on the plate and it is pressed.

6. The paper lifts the ink out of the grooves and the ink is imprinted on the paper

7. The final image is complete. (In most printmaking methods the final image is reversed from the plate or block.)

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Engraving

Based on the careful scoring of a metal plate so that clean gouges are created in the surface

An engraving can achieve fine detail, making the resulting print more like the artist’s original drawing

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Artwork: Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve

2.3.8 Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve, 1504. Engraving on paper, 9⅞ × 7⅞".

Metropolitan Museum

of Art, New York

Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve

Dürer had a financial reason for choosing to engrave his work:

Because a metal plate is much more durable than a woodblock, he could make and sell many more copies of his image

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Portal Artwork: William Hogarth, False Perspective

4.5.6 William Hogarth, False Perspective. Engraving from Dr. Brook Taylor’s Method of Perspective Made Easy, Both in Theory and in Practice, 1754

William Hogarth’s False Perspective is an example of an engraving with fine detail.

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Drypoint

In drypoint the cutting tool is pulled, leaving a rough edge, or burr

When the plate is wiped the ink is caught under the burr

The result is a less precise line that has more irregularities

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Artwork: Max Beckmann, Adam and Eve

2.3.9 Max Beckmann, Adam and Eve, 1917, published 1918. Drypoint, 9⅜ × 7". Private collection, New York

Max Beckmann, Adam and Eve

Beckmann's uneven line expresses unpredictability and an organic naturalness

The irregular, rough lines of drypoint suit the subject matter

Adam and Eve are becoming aware of their nakedness, uncertain about their future

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Max Beckmann (1884–1950) was a German Expressionist artist.

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Etching

A metal plate is covered with an acid-resistant coating, into which the artist scratches the design

The plate is immersed in acid

The acid “bites” into the metal where the covering has been removed, making grooves that hold the ink

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Artwork: Rembrandt van Rijn, Adam and Eve

2.3.10 Rembrandt van Rijn, Adam and Eve, 1638. Etching, 9¾ × 7". Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Rembrandt van Rijn, Adam and Eve

The Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn was a master of intaglio printmaking, especially etching

Rembrandt brings out details by marring the plate surface more in the areas that will appear darker in the print

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Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669).

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Aquatint

The image is created in a coating of powdered rosin (a tree sap)

The rosin is melted onto the surface of the plate, creating a mottled, acid-resistant barrier into which the design is etched

Creates a soft organic texture similar to that of brush and ink

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Another process that requires the use of an acid bath to etch the surface of the plate is aquatint

Despite the name, water does not play a role in aquatint printmaking

Since the rosin leaves irregular areas of the plate exposed, a soft organic texture (similar to that created when one uses brush and ink) dominates the image

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Artwork: Francisco Goya, Giant

2.3.11 Francisco Goya, Giant,

c. 1818. Burnished aquatint,

first state, sheet size 11¼ × 8¼". Metropolitan Museum of Art,

New York

Francisco Goya, Giant

This print shows the wash-like appearance of the aquatint process

Goya controlled the distribution of rosin to create dark values

Soft, rich implied texture emphasizes that this is a mythical creature

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Mezzotint

The entire surface of the plate is roughened with a rocking tool (a metal object with a spiked, curved bottom)

Areas where light tones are desired are then smoothed

Ink is removed from the smoothed areas when the plate is wiped

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Mezzotints often produce dark, rich values because the ink has many places to settle.

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Artwork: Dox Thrash, Defense Worker

2.3.12 Dox Thrash, Defense Worker, c. 1941, Carborundum mezzotint over etched guidelines, 9¾ × 8". Print and Picture Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia

Dox Thrash, Defense Worker

Thrash uses mezzotint over etched guidelines

The dark values reflect the seriousness of the war effort and the spirit of the American worker during World War II

Sponsored by the Works Projects Administration

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African-American artist Dox Thrash (1893–1965) used more than one printmaking method

The Works Projects Administration was a government program originally created during the Great Depression to employ Americans at a time when jobs were hard to find

Artists, writers, musicians, and others contributed to American culture and infrastructure by applying their skills, first in support of rebuilding America and then, during World War II, in support of the war effort

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Collography

Collography is created by building up (rather than cutting into) a surface

Artist glues or “collages” materials to a rigid support (e.g. wood or cardboard)

The image can then be inked and printed

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Artwork: Glen Alps, Roll-Up #2

2.3.13 Glen Alps, Roll-Up #2, 1956. Collagraph, 26¼ × 32½"

Glen Alps, Roll-Up #2

Alps is most closely associated with the development of the collagraph

Pieces of material are glued in a spontaneous way

Surface can be easily manipulated

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Glen Alps (1914–1996) was a longtime faculty member at the University of Washington in Seattle

Alps first used the term collagraph to describe the process

Although Alps did not invent the collagraphic technique, he was the first printmaker to succeed in mastering and promoting the process

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Lithography

From the Greek for “stone writing”

A planographic process – the print is made from an entirely flat surface

German author Alois Senefelder devised the process in 1796

Allows the artist to draw a design in the same way they do a drawing

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German author Alois Senefelder (1771–1834) was out of money and looking for a cheaper method to print his newest play

The complex presses used nowadays by commercial printers for producing newspapers, magazines, and brochures (“offset lithography”) use thin sheets of zinc or aluminum instead of stone, but the basic principles are the same

Contemporary artists’ lithographic prints are still made on the kind of stone used by Senefelder

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Lithography Process

2.3.14 A brief overview of the lithography process:

The artist designs the image to be printed.

Using a grease pencil, the design is drawn onto the limestone, blocking the pores.

The stone is treated with acid and other chemicals that are brushed onto its surface. Then the surface is wiped clean with a solvent, such as kerosene.

The stone is sponged so that water can be absorbed into the pores of the stone.

Oil-based ink is repelled by the water and sits only on areas where the oil crayon image was drawn.

Paper is laid on the surface of the stone and it is drawn through a press.

The print is removed from the stone.

The completed image appears in reverse compared with the original design.

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Artwork: Honoré Daumier, Rue Transnonain, April 15, 1834

2.3.15 Honoré Daumier, Rue Transnonain, April 15, 1834, 1834. Lithograph, 11½ × 17⅝".

Metropolitan Museum, New York

Honoré Daumier, Rue Transnonain, April 15, 1834

Daumier uses the lithographic process to tell the citizens of Paris about an incident of police brutality

He worked for a monthly magazine

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Thinking that an attack had come from a residence, authorities entered and ruthlessly killed everyone inside

Honoré Daumier (1808–1879), a great critic of the French government’s treatment of workers, drew this massacre in gruesome detail

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Portal Artwork: Toulouse-Latrec, La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge

2.7.16 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge, 1891. Lithograph in black, yellow, red, and blue on three sheets of tan wove paper, 6'2½" × 3'9⅝". Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec used lithography for a light-hearted purpose in his poster promoting a famous Parisian destination.

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Serigraphy (Silkscreen Printing)

A versatile process, capable of placing ink on a wide variety of surfaces

First developed in China during the Sung Dynasty (960–1279)

Uses a stencil process

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Artists value, amongst its many other virtues, serigraphy’s potential for printing strong colors

Can be used to create a large number of prints

The silkscreen itself is nowadays a fine mesh, usually made out of nylon

As the printmaker moves the squeegee over the screen, the mask prevents ink from passing through in unwanted areas

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Artwork: Andy Warhol, Four Marilyns

2.3.16 Andy Warhol, Four

Marilyns, 1962. Acrylic, silkscreen ink, pencil on

linen, 29 × 21½". Sold at Phillips, New York 2014

Andy Warhol, Four Marilyns

Warhol deliberately repeats the image to comment on the nature of mass-produced images in advertising

Emphasizes the flatness and lack of depth in the image of Marilyn

Photographic silkscreen over aluminum paint