etchings - linocuts - collographs - monoprints

All these are printing techniques that are used to generate copies of the artist’s original. They are artist-driven, or "authographic", unlike reproduction prints, even those "giclee" wonders, which merely are copies from the real thing. These prints are "real art", then.

The originals that they come from are not photographically or a computer-created, but are pictures that have been created directly by the artist. Unlike ordinary paintings or drawings, though, they have been cut into or made up on plates - and these plates are used for the printing.

Etchings

Etching is achieved by carefully drawing the image into a thin film of wax that has been laid onto a plate of copper or steel (this is the most common technique). When the plate is immersed in acid, the acid bites through the bared areas, eating into the metal. The image is thus etched, or burned into the plate.

That’s the simple bit : no, it's not really simple. There’s quite a lot more to come before the artist can finally get down to doing the printing.

At the early stage, the artist may produce a small number of artist’s proofs – trying to get the inking and the colours right. Traditionally, etchings are produced in limited editions, and once the specified number is reached the plate is destroyed.

Linocuts (and woodcuts)

These are just what they say - images which have been carefully cut into the flat surface of thick, hard lino or wood. The image is created directly onto the printing plate.

Linocut prints generally are unlimited in number, but they still have to be done individually by hand, and there may be differences between prints. If handmade paper is used (as Maggie often does), then this also will affect the look of prints, making every one subtly different. So finding the right paper to suit the print can take a lot of the artist's time, too.

Collagraphs

These are a fairly recent development, made possible by the advent of PVA glues.

A “collage” of material like card, string, or fabric is made up into an image on a plate, stuck down and coated with glue. This collage is then used as the printing plate: nowhere near so robust as metal or lino though, so the number of images that can be created is smaller.

P.V.A. glues have revolutionised printing methods. Printing a collagraph is substantially the same process as inking up and printing a metal etching plate without need of nitric acid, hot plates, soft ground, stopping out varnish ... and so on.

All you need is a piece of card (preferably with a shiny surface), P.V.A. glue, P.V.A. varnish and various bits and pieces to create your image. Take your card and off you go. You can scratch or draw your image into the surface of the card with a sharp point - but most collagraphs are made up from things put ONTO the card.

You can stick tin foil, string or any flat material which has a textured surface. Some materials are more absorbent than others but you will learn by experience.

You can stick leaves and ferns from your garden - all manner of things, depending on what texture you want to achieve. Use a soft, broad brush to push the leaves and other objects firmly onto the surface of the card.

You can cut holes in the card so that when you're printing, the colour of the paper onto which you print comes through as a part of the overall image.

You can peel off some of the surface of the card.

If you work on a hot plate the glue will dry quicker. You can make a hot (not too hot of course) plate on your kitchen cooker with a baking tray.

When you have stuck everything on and the glue is dry, give the whole plate several coats of P.V.A. varnish, waiting until each coat is dry before painting the next one.

If your card is thin it may be a good idea to stick another piece on the back to give it strength.

You do need printing ink and etching paper - then search out your nearest friendly press. If you are unsure, my advice is to do a course for a couple of days to give you confidence.

One disadvantage of a collagraph is that you can't print so many prints as an etching plate (perhaps sometimes as few as about 12 to 15 prints), but if you varnish them well (on the reverse also) you may get many more before the plate starts to break down. I have printed as many as 35 from one plate, and it was still perfect - so I could have printed more.

Monoprints

Monoprints are just what they say - there is only ever one print made from them.

This is because their printing plate is, in essence a painting. Paint or inks are put onto a surface such as glass, and the paper is placed on top, and pressed down onto the ink or paint with a roller.

The image that you're left with may be worked on or "touched up" by the artist, but it cannot be fundamentally reworked. That's it. If the artist truly doesn't like it, they have to do another one.

The resulting images are not so sharp or detailed as with the other forms of print making, but have a special character of their own. Also, they may incorporate much more colour.

... all these forms of printing ...

The beginning image has to be created “the wrong way round” : it’s a mirror image of what eventually appears on the wall.

The prints are not just run off the press in their thousands. They take time and even effort, because wheels have to be turned to work the presses. And then, after each print, the plate has to be cleaned off, inspected, inked up, run through the press again – cleaned off, checked for damage or wear – and start again – and again.

Although a printing process is being used, each and every piece is truly unique, and there are likely to be slight differences between them. These prints, then, truly are "works of art" - they're not reproductions of works of art. Each individual print has an intrinsic value of its very own - it is unique.