Many of the artists in this group got their start in printmaking through the printmaking class at Art Lab which was taught by the late Herman Zaage (1927–2008), a master mezzotint artist and expert in the field. By way of his class and extended contacts, a small community of Staten Island printmakers developed and grew.

All of the artists here have a love of printmaking—the process, the unexpected outcomes, the physicality of the work, and the various ways prints can be made. It is an art form of exploration and discovery. Our hope is that viewers will learn a little about printmaking from the Staten Island Printmaker’s site and even try to make their own prints. While it is nice to have a press and dedicated print space, one can easily create prints at a kitchen table with common materials found at home. Try it and see where your imagination
takes you!

Printmaking is the creative process of making an image on a matrix that is inked and then transferred to paper or fabric using pressure. It allows for multiple copies and is a complex artistic technique not as well known as other disciplines such as painting or sculpture—although we see prints every day on shirts, signs and posters. Pulling an edition creates a limited series of prints that are all the same. They are numbered and signed by the artist.

Intaglio—A type of printmaking where grooves are created in a plate to hold ink. The plate requires strong pressure from a press to transfer the ink held in the furrows to damp paper. The following are several examples of intaglio:

Etching—A metal plate is coated with acid resistant ground and marks are made using a needle that exposes the plate. The plate is put into an acid bath and the areas without ground are eaten away (etched) to create a furrow to hold ink.

Aquatint—This technique makes tones by etching a fine texture onto the plate.

Drypoint—Scratching directly into a plate with a sharp needle creates burred grooves that hold ink. It allows the artist to create soft lines without acid.

Mezzotint—Texture is created on a plate using a rocker that makes tiny burrs. Once the plate is thoroughly rocked so that it prints completely black, the image is created by burnishing (rubbing) the plate. This technique allows for a range of tones from velvety black to the white of the paper.

Engraving—The metal plate is carved with a tool called a burin to create furrows that can vary from thick to thin.

Relief print—This technique produces a raised area on a plate by cutting away parts that will not print. The ink on the relief surface of the plate can be transferred with light pressure from a baren, spoon, or press. Below are three examples of relief prints:

Linocut­—An image is cut from soft linoleum leaving a raised area for ink.

Woodcut—The image is cut into wood leaving a raised area for ink.

Collagraph—A collage of materials is used as a plate and allows for many textured effects.

Monotype—A one of a kind print created by drawing or painting on a plate and then transferring the image to paper. One print can be made, but if residue remains on the plate, a “ghost” print is also possible. Gelatin (gelli) plates can be used with rolled layers of paint, ink, and stencils to make monotypes as well.

Lithograph—The artist draws directly on a stone or plate with a special grease crayon or liquid. The stone is chemically treated so ink sticks only to the artist’s marks. It can then be printed.

Serigraph (Screenprint)—A template or screen is made and ink is squeegeed across to transfer the image to paper or fabric underneath.

Solar print—A photosensitive plate is exposed to the sun with a transparent film image on top. Once washed with water to stop the exposure, a relief plate remains.