Printmaking explained - how it differs from other art
Most people assume two dimensional artwork is either an 'original', painted by hand, or it has been reproduced using a printer - that is: a device plugged in at the wall.
A small bench top press virtually unchanged in it's design from the earliest presses invented - no plug attached.
The picture above shows a printmakers printer, or rather 'printing press'. While this particular press was made only recently, it is the same as some of the earliest presses invented - one could say archaic, antique, crude, an example of ancient technology. It is certainly nothing like the 'printers' we have attached to our computers today. There is no plug, no on/off switch, no cable or wireless 'network', no wondering off for a cup of coffee while it does it's thing and there are no cartridges of ink simply to click into place.
As you can see, there is a large metal roller and out of sight below it is another - very much like the old fashioned washing mangles. The two rollers are methodically turned by hand - or "hand-cranked" - forcing carefully positioned plates, ink and paper between them at very high pressure. This transfers the ink to the paper from the carved relief plate.
The whole process is entirely reliant on the printmakers methodical skill, judgement and artistic intentions which means original printmaking is more like painting or drawing though distinctly different, and a world away from electronic print production, or art reproduction. It is not entirely incorrect to say original prints are each individually hand printed.
Tins of 'raw' colours waiting to be mixed by the printmaker and applied to each plate individually.
Lynne Roebuck tends to explain all this by suming it all up simply as: "push-button and plug free".