Lithography

Lithography, unlike other printing techniques, depends not on differences in surface elevation, but on the simple principle that grease and water do not mix. Invented by Aloys Senefelder in 1796, lithography is a flat surface or planographic printing method. The commercial and artistic possibilities of the technique were quickly recognised. Artists could draw directly onto the lithographic stone, producing images of great expressiveness and freedom of line, and the process was cheaper than etching.

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The design requirements for an effective poster—that it catches the eye and imparts its message quickly, that it utilises simple forms with large areas of uniform colour and integrates the lettering with the image—correspond perfectly to the strengths of lithography, making it an ideal medium for printing posters.

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Lithographs are drawn with a greasy crayon on a prepared Kelheim stone (though due to the increasing rarity of this dense limestone, prepared plates of zinc or aluminium can be used instead). The stone is treated with nitric acid and water, and then gum arabic is applied. When the stone is dampened with water, ink will only adhere to the design. The inked stone and paper are then run through a printing press and the design is transferred onto the paper. Colour or chromolithographs are produced using a different stone for each colour.

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For more information on Lithography and other printing techniques, visit the Musuem of Modern Art's web site http://www.moma.org/whatisaprint

Exhibition Entrance

Photography by Andrew Stawowczyk Long
at Studio-One Inc at Kingston, Canberra