Print Glossary

○ What is risography?

A technique using a digital duplicator or printer that combines elements of both photocopiers and screen printing. Risograph printers use a stencil-based printing process that involves passing a master sheet through the printer, which then creates a stencil of the desired image or text on a thin thermal master. This stencil is wrapped around an ink drum, and as paper is fed through the printer, ink is forced through the stencil onto the paper, creating the printed image. Riso printing has the ability to produce vibrant, textured prints with a distinct aesthetic, giving the prints a handmade and artistic appearance. 

○ What is screenprinting?

A technique using stencils made of silk or a synthetic fabric, which has been stretched over a frame. Areas of the screen that are not part of the printing image can be blocked out using a variety of methods. In one common method, the screen is first evenly coated with a water-soluble, light-sensitive liquid. A transparency bearing a printed image prevents projected UV light from hardening parts of the screen. Unhardened areas are then washed out with water before a squeegee is used to press ink evenly through the screen, directly onto paper or fabric. This technique is also known as silkscreen or serigraphy.

○ What is digital printing?

A general term for any technique that involves digital technology. Until the mid-1990s, most computer-made images were transferred photochemically onto traditional printing plates or screens. Since then, many artists have used high-resolution digital printing processes on computer-controlled printers. Sometimes the terms Inkjet (a type of printer), Giclée (the French term for inkjet), or Iris (a brand of printer) are used to refer to the printing process.

○ Will each print be the same?

Unlike digital printing both risographs and screenprints are printed in layers of color so that each print is unique and no two prints are exactly alike. You may get certain areas of off-set printing or a slight variation in color which adds to the charm and individuality of each print. Exact sizing may vary slightly due to the cutting process, especially for risographs so we advise waiting to buy frames until prints arrive. Color variations between on-site previews, your screen, and printed artwork may occur. 

○ What are the inscriptions on the bottom of the print?

Traditionally, signifying inscriptions are written in pencil at the bottom of a print. Reading from left to right, the inscriptions indicate the edition number, the title of the artwork, and the artist’s name (and sometimes the date).

Artist’s Proof (A.P.): A print reserved for the artist and not included in the numbered edition. An artist’s proof can be identified by the inscription “A.P.” found in the lower left-hand margin. Alternatively, printer’s proofs are reserved for the printer and are inscribed “P.P.”
    Bon à Tirer (B.A.T.): A print that is not included in the edition, but which indicates the standard a printer tried to duplicate for the edition. A print which is bon à tirer (translated from French as “ready to pull”) can be identified by the inscription “B.A.T.” found in the lower left-hand margin.
      Edition: A set of identical prints made from the same matrix (or set of matrices). Often a number of other prints – artist’s proofs, printer’s proofs, bon à tirer, and hors commerce (“not for trade”) prints – are made at the same time but are not considered to be part of the numbered edition. Each print in a limited edition is usually numbered in the lower left-hand margin. The form of this inscription is as follows: number in the edition/size of the edition (i.e. 15/50). To guarantee a limited edition, the artist or printer can “strike” the plate by incising an X on the printing face after completion.
        Impression: Any numbered print from a completed edition.
          Printer: The specialist who provides technical aide throughout the printing process. A master printer may have a group of assistants. Historically, printmaking has been characterized by a divided production process, where artist and printer work collaboratively but accomplish different tasks.
            Proof: A print that is not considered to be part of the numbered edition. Examples include prints made in advance of the edition – known as “trail proofs” – as well as those made at the time of the edition, but which are reserved for the artist or printer.