The Original Print: Understanding Technique in Contemporary Fine Printmaking

For many art lovers and collectors, the term "print" suggests a two-dimensional work on paper made by one of a dozen or so half-understood techniques-aquatints, etchings, lithographs, screenprints, etc. This book shows readers the effort and skill that these techniques entail, how they are used, and how the artists employ them to create specific effects.

This book is both a survey of the best contemporary prints by American artists and a guide to printmaking techniques and effects. Nearly one hundred prints are shown in full color. Works are grouped by technique, and each section begins with an explanation of the process or processes illustrated within the chapter. Print publisher, curator and former gallery owner Chris Byrne has specialized in contemporary fine art prints for the last fifteen years. Using examples from ten of North America's top print houses, Byrne describes both basic techniques and the joint experimentation of artist and master printer as they create new images for an expanding audience.