CHAPTER SIX

THE EDITION

FTER you’ve printed your block on good paper, it is a traditional part of the process to sign and number the prints. This indicates to the collector of your work how many copies you made of the image and that you do not intend to print the block again. After the edition is completed, the block is usually cancelled by striking lines through the image on the block, making further duplicate impressions impossible. Sometimes this cancelled block is printed as further proof that the block is indeed cancelled.

Some engravers believe that they should be able to print their blocks in unlimited editions. They argue that wood engraving blocks experience little wear and can be printed in huge editions without loss of detail in the image. If you intend to print your blocks in unlimited editions, the prints can be signed but the edition number should be left off.

Limited editions are usually signed in pencil in the bottom margin of each print. The edition number is expressed as a fraction; for example, 10/30 means that it is the 10th print of 30 prints made. The edition number is usually found in the left bottom margin below the printed image. The title of the work is added in the middle of the margin followed by its creation date, and the signature is usually found in the lower right-hand corner.

Printmakers document their prints in various ways. It is important to keep a record of what you’ve done so that your collectors know what they own. Other terms or marks that you may encounter include:

u Trial Proof These prints usually have the artist’s handwritten notes and sometimes drawings on them regarding proposed changes to the print. They often are labeled with the words: first state, second state, etc.

u Bon à tirer or Printer’s Proof Bon à tirer means “good to pull” and indicates that the print is the standard of the edition. All other prints in the edition were compared to it for quality and consistency.

u Artist’s Proof A print with A/P in the corner where you would expect to find the edition number is a print pulled by the artist and retained outside the regular edition.

u Cancellation Proof This is the impression that is made to prove that the block has been destroyed.

HANDLING AND STORAGE

Paper is fragile and can be damaged by exposure to heat, light, moisture and dust. Poor handling and storage of your prints can result in creases and tears that are difficult to repair.

A century or two ago prints were rarely framed. They were stored in a box and brought out for viewing. If you are storing prints flat on top of each other, the prints should be interleaved with acid-free tissue paper. This protects the printed surface of each print from scuffs and from the migration of oils from the other prints in the stack. Prints should be stored in a closed light-safe box away from moisture and temperature extremes. Museums often mat their prints and store them in dust-resistant Solander boxes which can be purchased from library service suppliers and photographic supply stores.

Large prints should be interleaved with sheets of acid-free tissue paper and rolled if they can’t be stored flat. The roll of prints can be placed in a cardboard tube for storage.

Blocks should be cleaned before they are stored. Although I prefer to print off the remaining ink on my blocks onto newsprint, then wipe them with a cloth to remove any excess, other printmakers use mineral spirits to clean their blocks. Whatever method you choose, use a soft cloth and try not to rub any excess ink into the details of the block. If you are using water-based inks, limit the amount of water you use to clean the block to prevent damaging the surface.

Wood engraving blocks can last for years if they are stored properly upright in a cool, dry place that allows air to circulate around them. This will prevent the blocks from cracking prematurely.

If you are using oil-based inks on Resingrave, the block can be cleaned with mineral spirits. Avoid any solvent containing methylene chloride, which can melt the epoxy.

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR PRINTS

You’ve worked hard and created a stack of woodcuts, wood engravings or linocuts. Now what do you do with them? In the 19th century, exported tea from Japan was wrapped in handprinted wood block prints by master artists. The strong two-dimensional images of these Japanese woodcuts had an important influence on Impressionist and post-Impressionist artists of the time. Although you may not want to use your images as wrapping paper, artists have come up with many different and often surprising ways to put their prints to work.

Framing Prints

Paper expands and contracts as it takes on moisture from the air. If you mount a print by fastening all four corners to the mat, the print will eventually wrinkle and warp in the frame. Instead, hinge the print from the top with acid-free tape. This allows the print to breathe. The tape should be affixed to the back of the print in the corners. For larger prints you can put an additional piece of tape in the top center.

Traditionally, prints are matted up to the printed image. To prolong the life of your prints, choose acid-free mat board whenever possible. Acid seeps from cheap mat board into the print and can stain, discolor and deteriorate the paper over time. Your work can also be displayed in a shadow box frame to show all of the sheet’s beauty, from deckle edges to paper texture.