PRINTMAKING

The Original Print

Hanga Ten specialises in Japanese contemporary prints which are original works of art. Their editions are strictly limited. Five criteria are used among art associations in Japan to define the characteristics of an original print:

– An original print is a work of art which has been conceived by the artist to be realised as a print. The artist via various printing methods creates the image onto a woodblock by carving it, or etching onto a metal or stone plate, or stencilling a silkscreen.
– The original image is then directly printed from the plate or block by hand or from the printing press by the artist himself or an artisan supervised by the artist. – The artist takes full responsibility for each printed work.
– Each print is numbered and signed by the artist, usually at the bottom. The completed works compose an edition. If a print work is numbered 5/20, it means that it is the fifth print of an edition of twenty. The edition size is determined by the artist.
– When an edition is complete, the plate or block is marked with diagonal lines or a hole so that no more prints can be printed from it. In Japan this practice is called rai’e, from the French word rayer, to cross or scratch out.

Original prints are created through a time-consuming and meticulous process, which may result in each print within the same edition being slightly different in tone, texture or colour to each other. The original print should therefore not be confused with reproductions which are copies of an art work, mass produced by means of automatic copier, photolithography or digital process. Posters are an example of reproduction processes.

The Artist’s Proof 
The artist may produce trial proofs (TP) or artist’s proofs (AP) of a particular work, which are in addition to the numbered prints in an edition. Other abbreviations used for these proofs are EA (Epreuve d’Artiste), and HC (Hors d’Commerce). These abbreviations will be denoted on the bottom of the work, and are usually limited to ten percent of an edition. Artists proofs can become collector’s items because of their small number.

Paper

Contemporary Japanese print artists use a variety of traditional paper, sometimes handmade by the artist, or more newer forms of paper for printmaking. The art of paper making was first introduced to Japan through China in about 610AD.

Washi is traditional Japanese handmade paper, usually containing no wood pulp. Fibres for most washi come from the bark of three different plants. Kozo, or mulberry plant fibre is the most common type and is the thickest and strongest, and used often in woodblock printing. Mitsumata from this indigenous Japanese plant, is more delicate, and as it takes the longest to grow is the most expensive of papers. Gampi from a wild shrub-like plant, produces thin glossy fibres which are extremely tough. It gives the paper a sheen, and its water-resistant nature keeps the ink from bleeding.

Washi’s strength, absorbency, warm qualities, and flexibility lends itself not only to woodblock printing but to a variety of other forms of printing such as wood engraving, etching, lithographs and stencilling. Traditionally-made washi is truly acid-free when it is unbleached.

Western originated paper is also used by contemporary print artists. Arches, a 100% cotton-based paper produced in France, is particularly suitable for silkscreen printing.

Techniques

Japanese contemporary print artists use traditional printing methods or new processes, or often a combination. Below are brief descriptions of the main printmaking techniques.

The Relief Print
The artist creates raised surfaces on a plate that will be used to transfer the images onto the paper. The raised surfaces are hand-inked, and placed on paper where the artist applies pressure to print the image. Raised surfaces can be created through carving or cutting a block, or by gluing different materials onto a plate. Woodcut or woodblock, wood engraving, linocut and collagraph are representative techniques of the relief print.

The Intaglio Print
The artist carves or cuts into a metal plate. These cut areas hold the ink, while uncut surfaces are wiped clean and therefore these sections do not appear in the print. There are two main methods of intaglio print. In the Direct Incision method, artists incise the plate directly using sharp tools. Engraving, Drypoint and Mezzotint are representative of this method. In the Acid Method, artists incise through to expose parts of the plate to be eaten away by acid. Etching and Aquatint are representative of this method. Copper (‘doban’ in Japanese) is often used for the plates. Polymer Intaglio is a new technology developed to use polymer coated plates in order to eliminate the use of acid.

The Planographic Print
In this method, the plate for printmaking is flat with both image and non-image areas on the same surface. The process emphasises water-oil repellency. Ink adheres only to the greasy areas of the plate. Each colour usually requires a separate plate. Lithography is the most common technique within this method. A plate, often made of aluminium, zinc or limestone, is chemically treated and finely roughed so that the whole surface has sand-like indentations. An image is drawn directly onto the plate with an oily medium like a crayon or tusche. The plate is inked with a roller after being sponged with water. Paper is placed on a plate, and run through a press. Lithography is an excellent method to produce detailed brushstrokes or crayon textures. Offset Lithography uses both lithograph and offset printing methods. The plate is usually made photo-chemically. The inked image on the plate is directly transferred onto paper by a cylinder-shaped rubber roller. Water is used to preserve the blank areas.

The Stencil Print
The artist uses silk fabric, paper or nylon which is cut, perforated or blocked with screen filler to allow ink to selectively pass through the stencils. An image is printed when ink is forced through the untreated parts of the stencil onto a paper. Thus in this process the image does not have to be reversed as in most other print techniques. Each colour requires separate stencil and inking. Silkscreen or Serigraphy is the most common type of stencil print.

Caring For Prints

When framing prints, select matboards which are acid free to avoid foxing, or discolouring of paper and inks. 100% rag-mat is one of the best quality. Linen or silk may also be used for matting.

When displaying the framed print, hang on a wall with little direct sunlight.

In storing unframed prints, store flat in a portfolio case or drawer. Allow some air to pass through storage area. Avoid water condensation and humid spaces. Place tissue or guard sheets between each print. It is good to place two prints facing each other separated by a guard sheet, rather than one print on top of the other.