Printmaking Vocabulary
Name: ______________________________________________ Class Period: ______________
Printmaking: An art process that involves making an image on a printing plate and printing it on
another surface, such as paper.
Printing Plate: A flat surface that an image is drawn onto or carved into; ink is applied and the image
is printed onto another flat surface.
Relief: A print created from high and low areas on a plate. Only the raised areas have ink, and the
low areas are left un-inked.
Reduction Print: Printing part of an image and “reducing it” or taking parts away and printing it again
on top of the same paper.
Registration: Lining up the printing plate on top of a previous print on the same paper. This is so the
print doesn’t create a blurry picture or a double-image.
Brayer: A rolling-pin like art tool that rolls ink on top of a printing plate.
Artist Proof (AP): A practice print before creating an edition. This is to see if any areas of the printing
plate or inking process needs fixed.
Edition: A series of prints created by the same plate.
Charge: The process of adding ink onto the brayer.
The Savvy Art Room | 2016
Printmaking Vocabulary
Name: ______________________________________________ Class Period: ______________
Printmaking:
Printing Plate:
Relief:
Reduction Print:
Registration:
Brayer:
Artist Proof (AP):
Edition:
Charge:
The Savvy Art Room | 2016