Acid-free: A designation for paper and paper-based materials with a pH value of 7 or greater (based on an acidity-alkali scale of 0 to 14). Using acid-free matboards, backings and printmaking paper prevents acid burns (yellowish-brown burn lines) and discoloration from appearing on your artwork over time.

Archival Ink: Specialized inks used in fine art printmaking that have been optimized for the relevant printmaking technique, desired color saturation and image longevity.

Archival Paper: Papers used in fine art printmaking that are acid-free and specially made to last over time. These papers, which often have textured surfaces and extra heavy weight, are particularly conducive to accepting printmaking inks for contrast, color saturation and image longevity.

Artist's Proof: The fine art prints that are made when the rest of the edition is printed but are reserved for the artist's personal use. Typically, 10% of the edition size is reserved for artist's proofs, and they are always designated with an "A/P" or similar notation in lieu of a print and edition number designation.

Tom Killion

Block Print: A generic term which applies to a technique of printmaking in which an image is transferred to paper from a carved piece of wood (woodcut), linoleum (linocut) or other material. After carving the image, the artist applies oil-based inks to the surface of the block, which is then pressed onto a piece of paper. Unlike engraving and etching, where the printer's ink lies in those areas which have been carved or etched, a block print takes ink on those areas that have been left untouched. These ridges are vulnerable to the pressure of printing, so block prints are best suited to small editions.

Edition: A printing of many images from one master work. Open editions typically are not numbered and have no maximum number to be issued. Limited editions are numbered in succession with a predetermined maximum number of prints. See Limited edition.

Giclee (zhee-clay): Print artwork made using a specialized ink spray process (Giclee is French for "to spray"). The giclee print is unmatched in its exquisite color and razor-sharp details, and has quickly become the new print standard for museums, galleries, publishers, and artists. First captured digitally and then refined by the artist and master printer through a series of proofs to ensure the color and clarity, the giclee print is the closest possible reproduction of an original artwork afforded by technology. Both the ink and archival paper onto which the image is transferred offer up to 70-year light-fastness and UV-resistance under proper storing conditions.

Intaglio (in-tahl-ee-o): Intaglio is the overall printing category for etchings and engravings, when an image is carved or acid-etched into a plate, which is then hand-inked and transferred to paper using a press. A visual characteristic of intaglios is the plate-mark that remains impressed into the paper after the printing.

Limited Edition: A maximum number of a particular print that will ever be created. The edition size is fixed prior to printing; once an edition has sold out, no more will ever be made. Typically, prints are made and numbered in succession, with the designation of any given print and the edition size recorded together, such as 15/200 (i.e., print number 15 out of an edition size of 200).

Linocut: A technique of printmaking in which an image is transferred to paper from a carved piece of linoleum. After carving the image, the artist applies oil-based inks to the surface of the linoleum, which is then pressed onto a piece of paper. Unlike engraving and etching, where the printer's ink lies in those areas which have been carved or etched, a linocut takes ink on those areas that have been left untouched. These ridges are vulnerable to the pressure of printing, so linocuts are best suited to small editions.

Lithograph: Print artwork that relies on the water-repellent properties of oil-based inks. An image is drawn onto a metal plate, typically with an oil-based crayon. The plate is rinsed with water, and the image repels the water while attracting special lithographic inks that are applied with a roller. The inked image is then transferred onto paper, creating a rich, deeply saturated quality in the artwork. Typically, many plates are used to create a lithograph, as each color or part of the image requires a different plate.

Offset Lithograph: A type of high-volume commercial print made by an electromechanical press designed for reproduction of thousands or more sheets of paper. While not designated as a fine art printing process, offset lithography is typically used to make large-volume printed materials, such as posters and magazines.

Photograph: Print artwork that is based upon image capture and transfer utilizing light and emulsion materials (chemically treated films and papers). See Silver Gelatin Print and Sepia Toned Print.

Thea Schrack

Sepia- or Brown-Toned Print: A photograph that has been treated with a chemical solution to permanently plate the silver particles of the image with a sepia- or brown-colored tone. The under-lying characteristics of the photographic print, the concentration of the chemical toner, and the length of exposure to the toner, among other things, greatly influences the effect that is created. Fine art sepia- and brown-toned prints are often made on a special fiber-based paper to ensure quality and longevity.

Serigraph (Silkscreen): Print artwork that is created by pressing inks through finely woven screens. Each color in the final work has a unique and separate screen associated with it or is created by layering multiple inks to achieve an exact color. The artist and master printer work closely to ensure the precision of the color, shape, and texture as each screen is laid down, one on top of the other.

Silver Gelatin Print: More commonly known as "black-and-white photographs," silver gelatin prints are made on paper coated with light-sensitive silver nitrate emulsions. Special fiber-based paper is often used to ensure quality and longevity. Silver gelatin prints may be toned with a number of chemicals such as such as selenium or gold to enhance their appearance and/or longevity.

Woodcut: The oldest of printmaking processes, woodcuts are created by first carving an image into a block of wood. The artist applies oil-based inks to the surface of the wood, which is then pressed onto a piece of paper. Unlike engraving and etching, where the printer's ink lies in those areas which have been carved or etched, a woodcut takes ink on those areas that have been left untouched. These ridges are vulnerable to the pressure of printing, and woodcuts often break down after a small edition is made.