Prints & Multiples

The Art of Printmaking

17 July 2026

Kirstie Davidson

Every print begins with a process. Whether carved into wood, etched into metal or drawn onto stone, the technique used by the artist shapes not only the finished image but also its character, texture and atmosphere.

Far from being a single medium, printmaking encompasses a wide range of methods developed over centuries. Each offers its own creative possibilities, from the bold graphic lines of a woodcut to the delicate burr of a drypoint or the vibrant colour of a screenprint. Understanding how a print is made provides a deeper appreciation of the artist's skill and the qualities that make each impression unique.

Understanding printmaking techniques is one of the best ways to get the most from a collection. The principal printmaking methods fall into three categories: relief, intaglio and planographic printing. Below, discover how each of these techniques is made and the characteristics that make every print unique.

Illustrated lead and below: Members of the Edinburgh Printmakers

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Illustrated above: Edward Wadsworth (British 1889-1949) | Dock Scene, c.1918 (Colnaghi 133; Greenwood W/D 36) | Sold for £20,160 inc premium (Woodcut)

Relief Printing

The image is created from a raised surface.

How Woodcut Printing Works

Woodcut is one of the oldest printmaking techniques. The artist carves away the surface of the woodblock to leave an image raised in relief. This surface is inked and printed onto paper to produce the image. Linocuts are made using the same relief printing process, but with linoleum instead of wood. As linoleum is softer and easier to carve, it allows artists to create bold, clean designs with less resistance.

Intaglio Printing

The image is created below the surface of the plate.

How Engraving Works

Where a woodcut requires the carving away of the surface of the woodblock to produce an image in relief, engraving is created by cutting directly into a metal plate using a burin. Ink is worked into the engraved grooves, the surface is wiped clean and a press is used to evenly print the resulting image.

How Etching Works

Etching is an intaglio printmaking technique in which a metal plate is coated with a waxy layer, known as a ground. The artist draws through the ground with an etching needle, exposing the metal beneath. A metal plate is covered with a waxy layer called a ground and the artist uses an etching needle to draw into it, exposing the metal beneath.

How Drypoint Works

Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking technique in which the artist draws directly into a metal plate using a sharp needle. Rather than removing the metal cleanly, the needle raises fine metal fragments along each side of the incision, known as burr, which prints with a rich, velvety quality. Because the burr is extremely fragile and gradually wears down with each impression, early prints are often prized by collectors for their greater richness, softness and atmospheric quality.

Illustrated below: David Hockney O.M., C.H., R.A. (British 1937- 2026) § | Cushions, 1968 (S.A.C. 64) |. Sold for £9,450 inc premium (Etching)

"Every print tells two stories: the image itself and the process used to create it. Understanding printmaking techniques reveals why each impression is unique and deepens our appreciation of the artist's achievement."

- Kirstie Davidson, Head of Sale

Illustrated above: Henri Matisse (French 1869-1954) § | Seated Young Woman with a Bouquet of Flowers | Sold for £10,000 inc premium (Lithograph)

Planographic Printing

The image is created on a flat surface.

How Lithography Works

Lithography is a planographic printmaking technique that relies on the natural repulsion between oil and water to produce an image on a large, smooth stone or plate, usually limestone or zinc. The artist draws or paints directly onto the surface using a grease-based medium. A chemical is used to bond the image to the stone, and the remaining areas are dampened. The oily printer’s ink is then rolled across the surface, sticking to the waxy crayon, and repelled by the wet areas. Dampened paper is pressed evenly to the stone and the image is transferred.

How Screenprinting Works

Screenprinting is another type of planographic printmaking technique in which a stencil is applied to a fine mesh screen, traditionally made from silk and stretched within a frame. Ink is then pressed through the un-stencilled areas using a squeegee. Screenprinting can also be used with a photographic image reproduced on the screen using light-sensitive emulsion. This innovation was especially popular with the artists of the Pop generation including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Keith Haring.

Illustrated below: Banksy (British 1974-) § | Flying Copper, 2004 | Sold for £25,200 inc premium (Screenprint)

Specialist

Kirstie Davidson

Head of Prints & Multiples | London