How to Get Started in Printmaking: Fabriano Printmaking Paper

Hello and than you for taking the time to  read my blog on printmaking.
This post is a continuum on various printmaking papers including a brief history on individual paper mills.
The Italian company Fabriano have been paper-makers since 1275 A.D. Fabriano traded paper from the Adriatic port of Ancona in an open trade with the Arabs and quickly established themselves as the principle site of paper manufacturer in Europe. The Adriatic sea is an arm of the Mediteranian Sea between Italy to the west and Slovenia, Croatia, and Yugoslavia to the east. From there Fabriano became the distributor of paper to all 4 continents.
Paper production saw a great boom during the Renaissance before a decline in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Industrial Revolution re-launched the paper mill at Fabriano. Pietro Miliani profited from this period to create the Cartiere Miliani paper factory in 1782. 
Pietro Milani developed this business to a prestigious, high-ranking company in Fabriano. His focus was on drawing paper and those suitable for printing and manuscript writing. His grandson Guiseppe Miliani also saw the potential in the paper industry and with a good understanding of business took the company to new international status for high industrial complexity and this won Fabriano a gold medal at the London Exhibition in 1851. After that Giovambattista Miliani, directed the company at the beginning of the 20th century he was the last Miliani family member of the company, which was nationalised in 1931, and renamed Cartiere Miliani Fabriano in 1947.
Fabriano Tiepolo paper is a warm white mould printmaking paper made of 100% cotton and is superb for etching especially for deeply bitten plates. It is also suitable for screen printing. It come in two sizes, 70 x 100 & 56 x 76 cm and 290 gsm
Rosapina Etching paper is a relatively unsized soft paper suitable for aquatint, screen printing and lithography. A great student paper suitable for assessment prints. The paper is pH neutral and comes in a white and buff , 70 x 100 cm & 50 x 70 cm
Fabrinao 5 is a 50% rag paper is surfaced-sized suitable for both silkscreen and lithography printing. The surface of the satine paper has a light drawing tooth and is an off white tone. It comes in two sizes 70 x 100 cm & 50 x 70 cm and 300gsm.
Fabriano Roma is an off-white handmade 100% cotton lightweight paper of 130gsm and comes in one size 48x66cm. 

Happy printing,

Warmly 
Jo Lankester
P.S If you want to discover how successful printmakers got started in printmaking then get your free printmaking expert interview series from www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com  today!

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.
Albert Einstein

Speedball Ultimate Screen Printing Kit

How to Get Started in Printmaking: Magnani Printmaking Papers

Hello and welcome,

This post is the third in a series informing you on the different types of printmaking papers available and a little history on traditional paper mills.
Magnani
The Magnani paper mill was established in 1404, when the first settlers to this area of Italy built the mill along the banks of the Pescia river, the pristine waters of the river are a fundamental ingredient for high quality paper production and continue to contributed to the reputation of the Magnani paper mill. The mill was originally called Gusdchiera (the falling mill) and changed it's name to Le Carte (the papers). By the 18th century, the Magnani paper mill was exporting papers all over the world. The mill developed a prestigious following by Europe's reigning families as well as the state mints of many countries who appreciated the quality of the security papers produced at the mill on cylinder machines. 
Today Magnani Papers have a well earned and deeply grounded reputation as manufacturing among the best papers in the world. Watermarked papers, book papers, etching and lithography papers, writing papers, board and drawing papers are all highly qualified and sought after.
Magnani Incisioni is an excellent all round paper suitable for intaglio, lithography, relief and silkscreen. The paper is mould made and lightly sized, Incisioni is made of 50% cotton & 50% alpha-cellulose and comes in a range of smooth white or ivory and the weight ranges from 190 gsm-350 gsm.
Magnani Litho is made for lithography, as the name implies, offset, relief, silkscreen, intaglio and comes in a smooth white or dark ivory. The paper is made from 50% cotton & 50% alpha-cellulose and the weight ranges from from 310 gsm-350 gsm.
Magnani Corona is textured white and a smooth white paper suitable for lithography, offset, silkscreen, drawing and painting, The paper is made from 50% cotton & 50% alpha-cellulose and the weight ranges from 300 gsm-400 gsm.
Magnani Pescia comes in a variety of colours and finishes, for a variety of applications. It is made of 100% cotton and only come in a 300 gsm weight.
Magnani Acquerello comes in a range of textured off-white tomes suitable for watercolour, printmaking, gouache, acrylic and oil in weights from 300 gsm-550 gsm and is made from 100% cotton.
Warmly
Jo Lankester


Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
Abraham Lincoln


Magnani Pescia Paper Blocks - 14 x 20, Block, 20 Sheets

How to Get Started in Printmaking: Schut Etching (Dutch Etching) Paper

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog about printmaking.

Yesterday I wrote about the French paper Velin Arches which is a fantastic all round printmaking paper that is suitable for mast printmaking process. It has a slight wove pattern and has a warm yellowy tone.

Schut Etching more commonly known as Dutch Etching is made in Holland. The Shut family purchased the 'De Veentjes" paper mill in 1710 and it remained in the family until 1982.  From this year until 1998 De Gelderse Papiergroupe NV became the mother-company, introducing the production of the authentic and world famous Van gelder Oud Hollands. From 1998 the Shut Paper mill became part of the French organisation Exacompta Clairfontaine S.A..

Dutch etching has been specifically made for editioners and etchers, it has two deckled sides and a watermark. The printmaking paper is an off-white tone and 100% rag with a neutral pH. The heavy weight of the paper is most suitable for etching as it is buckle resistant. I have found the paper to be very porous and will hold a substantial amount of water when soaked. I have found it best to spray one sheet lightly then place a dry sheet to soak up any excess water then repeat the process for the desired amount of paper for editioning before wrapping the paper in clean plastic and leaving over night.

Warmly,
Jo Lankester

P.S Get Your Free Printmaking Webinar Interview Series at www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com

Our strength grows out of our weakness.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Printmaking: History and Process

How to Get Started in Printmaking: Velin Arches Printmaking paper

Hello, and thank you for joining me.

To carry on from my last post regarding printmaking papers I would like to introduce you to a French Paper, Velin Arches.

Velin Arches is a 100% cotton paper manufactured on a cylinder mould. It is a buffered acid-free paper with alkali reserve, (Alkaline reserve: A buffer, or reserve, of an alkaline substance added to a paper for the purpose of counteracting any acid which may be introduced into it subsequent to de-acidification. Soaking paper in a solution of calcium bicarbonate or magnesium bicarbonate adds a small amount of calcium or magnesium carbonate which neutralizes any acid present and also provides a reserve to counteract acid which may enter the paper at some future time. (The bicarbonates are converted to the carbonates during the drying of the paper, with the liberation of carbon dioxide.) The treatment is effective only as long as free alkali remains. Papers which are to remain acid free for long periods of time, e.g., 500 years, should have approximately 3% precipitated carbonate by weight of paper.) with four deckled edges and a registered watermark.

Velin Arches is an all round good printmaking paper  with a slight wove surface and a warm yellowish tone suitable for Etching, Aquatint, Lithography and Engraving.

Happy Printing.

Warmly
Jo Lankester


P.S. To get free your free copy of 7 Printmaking Expert Interview Series with leading printmaking experts go to www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
Seneca
Arches Text Wove Printmaking Paper (Ten Sheets) 19.5x25.5 Inches

How to Get Started in Printmaking: Choosing a Suitable Printmaking Paper

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to join me.

Choosing a printmaking paper can be a confusing process when you are just starting printmaking. It is very important that you test and measure many papers to find the right paper for a particular printmaking process you are doing.

There are many reputable printmaking merchants world wide who make a range of papers to suit all printmaking process. Often you can request a sample pack of papers from the supplier so you can see the texture and varying tones before you buy.

German Etching Paper; Hahnemuhle Paper
Hahnemuhle have been delivering high quality fine art papers for 420 years and have a paper to satisfy every artists needs ranking them as one of Europe's leading paper producers. They use traditional and proven technologies to produce the paper. A distinguishing feature to Hahnemuhle's paper production has been and will no doubt continue to be the ability to combine traditional with modern technologies to produce papers from old recipes passed through generations to meet the current market and new print technologies.
This German printmaking paper has carved out a special niche for it's self internationally, especially for use with the intaglio technique of aquatint. It is a personal favorite paper of minie which is so soft and supple. It is a great all round paper in my studio especially for drypoint, aquatint and line etching. I'm fond of the warm white.

The paper contains no rag, being made from alfa cellulose (or synthetic cotton). The paper comes in a range of weight size and tones.
Weight: 150gsm, 230 gsm 300 gsm & 350 gsm
Size: 53 x 78 cm, 78 x 106 cm, 78 x 105 cm
Colour: White, Warm White & Cream

I will deliver further information on the different types printmaking papers over the coming week to give you a sound understanding of printmaking papers to purchase.

Warmly
Jo Lankester

P.S For your free 7 Printmaking Expert Webinar Series go to www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com

Our strength grows out of our weakness.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hahnemuhle Matte Museum Etching, 100% Rag, Natural White Watercolor Inkjet Paper, 22.0 mil., 350 g/mA, 8.5" x 11", 20 Sheets

How to Get Started in Printmaking: How to Title Your Prints in 5 Easy Steps

Welcome to my blog on printmaking.

Titling your prints can be an interesting and challenging part of completing a artwork. Many artists find it so challenging that they opt for Untitled. To me a work is not complete until you give it purpose with a title.

Some artists find titles by pulling text from the news papers or magazines which is totally unrelated to the subject matter yet in context when on display. Make sure the title resonates with the print.

I like to title my prints by name of location to where the work was created and I look for a esoteric reference to best describe my intentions when creating the artwork.

Step 1. Keep you title short and simple
Step 2. Choose a title that gives purpose to the print
Step 3. Check the spelling and be consistent with the title when signing the edition
Step 4. Indicate if the print is part of a series or a second state edition
Step 5. If there is more than one work with the same title write in roman numerals directly after the title.

Warmly,
Jo Lankester



Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.
Henry David Thoreau
Installations and Experimental Printmaking (Printmaking Handbooks)

How to Get Started in Printmaking: 5 Easy Steps To Enter Printmaking Competitions

Hello, and welcome to my blog about printmaking.

An important element to being a printmaker is getting your art out into the community and seen by galleries, arts industry workers and collectors. A great and inexpensive way to build your profile and make yourself known is to enter every printmaking and works on paper competition available.
To win an award is a great way to build credibility as an artist and a fantastic income stream.

Make it your business to find out which galleries nationally and internationally hold printmaking competitions and awards offering prize money. You will not only gain great exposure as an artist, you will be able to see what your contemporaries are producing and bench mark against them

Any printmaker at any level can enter their work into a competition or award for excellence in the arts as long as you follow the conditions of entry. If you are unsure of any part of the conditions I strongly advise you email or phone the organizing body/gallery and ask them to explain what it is that you are unsure about. Do not let a doubt of eligibility stop you from entering your work for competition. Leave the decision to the judges to decide if your work is good enough for inclusion.

In Australia we are lucky enough to have the Print Council of Australia (PCA) who publish a quarterly magazine Imprint to keep us informed of competitions, publications, exhibitions, reviews and much more. I recommend you join and get ready to be up to date with contemporary print news.

Step 1. Get informed on national and international printmaking competitions and awards for excellence in the Arts.
Step 2. Enter all printmaking and works on paper competitions you possibly can to gain exposure and credibility as an artist.
Step 3. Ring the organizing body or Gallery and ask questions regarding conditions of entry no matter how insignificant you think your inquiry is.
Step 4. Send you work on time every time.
Step 5. Build a relationship with your printmaking community, become a member online and off line, nationally and internationally.

Happy printing.
Warmly,
Jo Lankester


P.S. For your free 7 Printmaking Expert Webinar Series go to www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com


No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.
Buddha
The Contemporary Printmaker: Intaglio-Type & Acrylic Resist Etching

How to Get Started in Printmaking: 5 Easy Steps To Looking After Your Etching Press

If your anything like me you will treasure your etching press more than anything, it is the one printmaking tool that can bring you recurring riches for years to come.

Follow these 5 easy steps to to make sure your press stays in good condition.

Step 1. Release the pressure at the end of each day
Step 2. Roll and remove the felt blankets from the etching press as the moisture will rust the roller and press bed
Step 3. Cover the press with a cover to prevent dust and moisture covering the press particularly if you live by the sea or in a humid climate.
Step 4. Attend to any rust early with steel wool, then coat with Penetrol to prevent any further rusting. This should be a preventative maintenance every 3-6 months.
Step 5. Use your press regularly

Happy printing.

Warm Regards,
Jo Lankester

You will never possess what you are unwilling to pursue.
Mike Murdok


Blick 906 Etching Press - 906 Etching Press, 48 lb

How to Number Limited Edition Prints

Welcome, and thank you for reading my blog about printmaking.

Limited edition prints are numbered according to how many prints are pulled in the edition, for e.g.  1/25 or 1/50. The edition number is at the discretion of the artist/publisher and what they think is a reasonable edition size for the print type and their target audience.

The numbering of limited edition prints is very important for two reasons, one for the collector and the second for collection documentation. Depending on what edition number is available for sale the collector is able to choose the edition number of their preference, it is common for the first number of prints to be the most sort after as the plate is fresh and in pristine condition, over time aquatints and other processes can break down and fade.

Once the edition is completed and the prints are dry the artist/publisher will then assign 1/10th of the edition as Artist Proofs (AP), these prints are additional to the print edition number.

The following examples indicate how AP's and the edition are numbered and signed for an edition of 50.
Artist Proof: (Below composition; lower left) AP 1/5       (Lower center)  Title       (Lower right) Name and Year 
Edition of 50:  (Below composition;Lower left) 1/50        (Lower center)  Title       (Lower right) Name and Year


Happy printing.
Warmly
Jo Lankester

You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.
Abraham Lincoln


Collecting Original Prints: A Complete Guide   

How To Get Started in Printmaking: What Is a Limited Edition Print?

Hello and thank you for joining me.

A limited edition print is a controlled number of original prints released through a publisher, in most cases this is the artist, created through one of the many printmaking techniques.

Limited edition prints allow for an artwork to be reproduced and sold at a lower price than other art forms, such as paintings, reaching a broader client base.

Prints were been created long before the printing press was invented. Printmaking was not viewed as an art form; it was seen as a way of communication. It was only in the 18th century when the print began to be viewed as an original artwork. In the 19th century it became practice for artists to produce limited edition prints of their work and singing the prints so that the work could be authenticated.

There are printmaking artists who only produce limited edition prints but it is common practice for painters and sculptors to produce prints of intended art pieces. Artists commonly use the discipline of printmaking to work through their ideas to create preliminary studies to resolve any issues for their major pieces. Then a limited edition can be created for additional income.

The following terms are given to different states of proofing prior to the edition,
Artist Proof (AP) Artist Proofs are of equal quality to the edition and AC precedes the number. Example - AP 1/10. A print numbered like this means it's an Artist Proof and it's number 1 of 10 produced.
Bon a tier (BAT) French for Good To Print. This is the print used as a guide by the printer for an edition. All prints are compared to it for excellence.
Trial Proof (TP) Test impression pulled from a printmaking plate or block to check the latest state of the image. TP precedes the number and are all unique.
Colour Trial Proofs (CTP) Are the equivalent to Trial Proofs but are not published in editions. CTP precedes the number.
Exhibition Proof (EP) they are of the same quality as the edition and are produced specifically for special exhibitions. EP precedes the number.
Hors Commerce (HC) "Not for Sale" proofs are of a quality equal to the edition but are gifted to collaborators. HC precedes the number.
Printer's Proofs (PP) Impressions from the printing plate assigned to the printer; not counted in the edition. PP precedes the number.

Dean Bowen, one of Australia's most engaging printmakers, sculptor and painter, is an artist who is well respected across all mediums and is well known and respected in the printmaking community for his lithographs and intaglio works from the 1980's and 90's. This is well proven in the recent publication Dean Bowen: Argy-Bargy by Sheridan Palmer.

Warmly

Jo Lankester

The Art of Dean Bowen

How to Get Started in Printmaking: Introduction to Intaglio Printing Processes

 Welcome, and thank you for joining me.

Intaglio printing is the title we give to the process's that allow us to print an image which is made by inking the incised lines and recessed texture of a plate onto a damp piece of paper. This is done by placing the inked plate on an etching press bed, the dampened paper is then placed on top of the plate and pulled through and etching press. There is a large number of printmaking techniques that fall under the title of intaglio, engraving, etching, drypoint, mezzotint, aquatint, soft ground, and collagraph.

Engraving; an intaglio technique where the image is cut directly into the plate using a  sharp engraving tool.

Etching; an intaglio process resulting from the action of acid upon a metal plate, where an image has been drawn through an acid-resistant ground, (hard ground) laid upon the surface of the plate. The term also refers to the print pulled from such a plate.

Drypoint; an intaglio technique where lines are scratched directly into the plate, without the use of acid. The bur thrown up by the needle gives the print a velvety appearance.

Mezzotint; an intaglio technique where a plate, having has been previously prepared to print as a rich uniform black, is gradually scraped and burnished back to form the desires images.

Aquatint; an intaglio process used to create areas of tone. Fine rosin dust is sprinkled over the plate and fused to it with heat prior to biting.

Soft Ground; an acid-resistant ground used in etching, Capable of being lifted from the plate when textures are impressed upon it, or a pencil drawing is made upon paper laid over it.

Collagraph; a print from a plate which has been built up using collage techniques, with various low-relief materials and textures being glued to a plane surface to form the plate. May be printed as a relief an intaglio or a combination of both.

Warmly
Jo Lankester
P.S Go to www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com for you free report on how to get started in printmaking.

You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers. In every moment of our existence, we are in that field of all possibilities where we have access to infinity of choices.
Deepak Chopra


Magical Secrets about Line Etching & Engraving: The Step-by-Step Art of Incised Lines, with an Appendix on Printing by Kathan Brown

12 Days to XXX+WHY Printmaking Exhibition 1 May-27 June 2010-Exhibition Design

Hello and welcome to my blog about Printmaking.

On the 27 March I started blogging about the count down to my involvement in the group printmaking exhibition XXX+WHY and what I needed to achieve in the 29 days until installation. With only 12 days to go I have enough work to fill my 18 running meters of wall space. I will be printing until Thursday afternoon which will give my prints enough time to dry before the installation on Monday 26 April.

As a group of artists, Jo Lankester, Donna Foley, Kelly Bianchi, and Doug Arana, we have worked individually to produce a group exhibition around the concept behind the title.


X as a symbol stands for the undefined or indescribable, and simultaneously for inimitability and mutability and as a identity. 


Each artist has explored different aspects of the symbol X using the medium of print in either/both traditional or contemporary printmaking processes.


Using Google Sketch Up it is possible to lay out the exhibition in advance to make sure you have enough artwork and which order the artworks will hang. This is a great tool that cuts down a lot of time during the installation process. It can give you a clear picture of the overall exhibition in advance and be a great way to communicate your exhibition design with the group, curator and installation staff at a gallery.

I advise discussing your installation requirement prior to the installation so the gallery staff can prepare and work through any technical difficulties in advance.

Warmly
Jo Lankester


P.S For a more detailed report on getting started in printmaking visit my website at www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com

All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
Brian Tracy

Google SketchUp for Site Design: A Guide to Modeling Site Plans, Terrain and Architecture