The Significance of Printmaking

Printmaking is a form of art that originated in China in the year 105 AD. It involves carving an image into a surface -- such as wood or metal -- and then rolling ink onto the surface. Then, the artist places paper over the image, and presses it together revealing a unique work of art. This technique came about soon after the invention of paper, making it almost ancient.

Printmaking was an important invention because of how different it is from other forms of art. It uses negative space to create beautiful art. Printmaking was also used by famous artists including Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol along with artists from all over the world.


Print for art blog
Print for art blog

In the foreground, this print shows thick tree branches with two birds. The background shows a person. His shadow stretches along a road lined with buildings. I notice that the man is alone and I wonder how the image would be different if there were multiple people. It might have a less gloomy feel to it. What if the artist had made the man larger, and the tree portion smaller?


(Artwork by Leon Sidwell)

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