What is printmaking/Why is printmaking important?

Posted by Chloe Simmons in Art - Freshman · Hull · c1 Band on

                   Printmaking is a form of art where pictures are printed by transferring it to a paper using a block, stone, etc. Printmaking was invented in the 15th century in Europe by a man named Daniel Hopfer. Really, this technique goes back to 3000 B.C.E., when it was engraved on bones, cave walls, and stones. There are many different types of printmaking. One is relief printing. Relief printing is when the ink sits on the surface and not in the grooves. It does not require chemicals nor does it require any press. Another example is Intaglio printing, which is the opposite of relief printing. Intaglio printing is when the ink is pressed into the etched lines while wiping the remaining ink off the surface. Printmaking was revolutionary because it made it easier for artist to express their art more to the audience, a way to duplicate things instead of redoing it from scratch, a way for artist to expand their imagination and mind, and it was easier for the people to obtain their art.
                                Pablo Picasso, Les vendangeurs (The Grape Harvesters), 1959

This artwork is a form of printmaking called linocut created by Pablo Picasso in 1959. This printmaking, it shows two workings that seems to be taking a break from something. In the left corner, you can see a bag of grapes. You can also notice that the landscape are hills. There’s also a lizard there.

The print definitely shows a contrast between the darker colors and the lighter color. You can see the different textures from looking between the sky, land, and people so they don’t blend in fully. There are lines that seems to have a roughness to it as you can see it through the sky and lines that have a softness as you can see that through the land and people.


I think this print is trying to show two hard-working people on a break from harvesting. For the title, it seems they were harvesting grapes. It also might infer that the bag is filled with grapes. The person on the right looks like they’re eating grapes while the person on the left look like they’re just relaxing. Based on the colors in the background, it seems to be evening.


For this print, I would improve is the positive spacing. There were some spots that had a bit too much positive space and it was disturbing to my eye. The spots makes it look like it’s incomplete. Also, I would improve the texture of the lines. In the print, the person on the on the left kind of blends in with the land and a blanket and it made my eyes a bit disturbed with the confusion of what is what. I love how he uses earthy shades of ochre, brown and black to make it like a soft and content setting.

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