View Full Version : The art of printmaking
I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good book or two devoted to the art of printmaking?
I'm interested on how to conceptualize the print and to think about how to dodge and burn to achieve what is intended.
Ansel Adam's "The Print" does talk about this and has some excellent before and after examples.
There must be other books or articles that discuss this in depth.
Thanks!
Randhir
I have several books on printing which I refer to all the time for techniques and inspiration:
1. "The Photographer's Master Printing Course" by Tim Rudman
2. "Gradient Light" by Eddie Ephraums (geared toward use of variable-contrast papers)
3. "Creative Elements" also by Eddie Ephraums (more for landscape photography printing technique)
4. "The Art of Photography" by Bruce Barnbaum (covers a lot of other subjects as well as printing, but also talks about inspiration and visualization)
Thank you Jim! These look great.
John Blakemore’s “Black And White Photography Workshop” is very useful, broad along the same lines as Bruce Barnbaum, cited above. It has an especially good explanation of the zone system.
A good print starts with a good negative. The less appropriate the negative given the light circumstances, the more hassle with dodging and burning. And a negative is good if it is in line with your wishes, the pre-visualization. So I would advise you to read Adams’ “The Negative”. The need for dodging and burning is in fact the consequence of an imbalance between exposing for the shadows and developing for the highlights. If this balance is right and the negative is good to print on grade 2 or 3, the modern variable contrast papers have enough leeway to come to an ideal print. Btw, mostly burning is less risky than dodging. In both, the risk is that you do it too long which leads to unnatural tonal values in that areas. And it is difficult to control it, costs a lot of expensive paper.
A good print starts with a good negative. The less appropriate the negative given the light circumstances, the more hassle with dodging and burning. And a negative is good if it is in line with your wishes, the pre-visualization. So I would advise you to read Adams’ “The Negative”. The need for dodging and burning is in fact the consequence of an imbalance between exposing for the shadows and developing for the highlights. If this balance is right and the negative is good to print on grade 2 or 3, the modern variable contrast papers have enough leeway to come to an ideal print. Btw, mostly burning is less risky than dodging. In both, the risk is that you do it too long which leads to unnatural tonal values in that areas. And it is difficult to control it, costs a lot of expensive paper.
My negs are *perfect*, they have been ever since I started out with the zone system in 1989. But I dodge and burn 99% of the time to emphasise certain areas or elements in a print. It adds depth and expression, it's how a print becomes a Print. Same story with split grade printing, and nothing to do with a bad negative. Dodge & burn is not difficult at all (to repeat) as long as you can count.
Kiwi7475
28-Dec-2020, 11:27
The books Jim listed are all great. I’d add also “the elements of black and white printing” by Carson Graves.
My negs are *perfect*, they have been ever since I started out with the zone system in 1989. But I dodge and burn 99% of the time to emphasise certain areas or elements in a print. It adds depth and expression, it's how a print becomes a Print. Same story with split grade printing, and nothing to do with a bad negative. Dodge & burn is not difficult at all (to repeat) as long as you can count.
Ok, I agree, maybe my text was a bit suggestive towards anti dodging and burning, which is not the case. And I do work myself with local contrast and split grading. Nevertheless, a good start is half of the job.
Thank you all for the valuable feedback.
My question had more to do with how to think about these things rather than how to do it. The same ideas apply with black and white or colour and digital or analogue.
Thad Gerheim
2-Jan-2021, 06:49
I might add that Ansel Adams "Examples, the making of photographs" is worthwhile too.
Joe O'Hara
2-Jan-2021, 15:00
Thank you all for the valuable feedback.
My question had more to do with how to think about these things rather than how to do it. The same ideas apply with black and white or colour and digital or analogue.
I would suggest that the best course for you, once the techniques are "under your fingers", is simply to make a lot of prints. You will eventually learn what to pull out of your bag of tricks in a given situation, to get what you want.
BTW, it is also helpful to see in person well-made prints by others, either in galleries or museums, or more informal situations. The in-person part is important, as even the best reproductions lose or change something.
Enjoy the journey!
"Post Exposure Advanced Techniques for the photographic Printer" by Ctein
"Creative Photo Print making" by Theresa Airey
"The Art of Black and White Photography" (has a chapter) by John Garrett
"A Technical Manual Beyond Basic Photography" by Henry Horenstein
Also "Black & White Photographic Printing Workshop" by Larry Bartlett with Jon Tarrant
Jim Noel
3-Jan-2021, 15:59
I have every book which has been mentioned. None of them are as straight forward, thus helpful as Mortenson "On the Negative" and "Projection Control."
Here hear!
I have every book which has been mentioned. None of them are as straight forward, thus helpful as Mortenson "On the Negative" and "Projection Control."
"Robert Doisneau" by Jean Claude Gautrand, published by TASCHEN, 2014. The book measures 26 by 34 cm and with 540 pages the weight is some 4 kilograms.
This makes it very useful for flattening fiber-based art prints.
Apart from that it is a magnificent book showing a life's work of a great photographer in high-quality print.
Neal Chaves
11-Jan-2021, 16:52
I have every book which has been mentioned. None of them are as straight forward, thus helpful as Mortenson "On the Negative" and "Projection Control."
Excellent advice. If you learn Mortensen's "Ring Around Method" of "reading a negative" you have a real understanding of exposure and development and how they affect print quality and characteristics.
After looking at your web page, I'm not convinced you need a whole lot of help! But thank you for getting others to offer up some great suggestions.
Thank you for the kind words h2oman.
I did end up buying Bruce Barnbaum's Art of Photography and have already found it useful.
Renato Tonelli
16-Jan-2021, 09:59
The books Jim listed are all great. I’d add also “the elements of black and white printing” by Carson Graves.
Also one of my favorite books on printing. He explains points on developers and testing for different papers and developers in a very straightforward way. Most of my condensed notes on printing have come from this book.
Breakinno
18-Oct-2024, 08:54
One thing that helped me when I was getting into printmaking was trying out some printing kits. Actually, Lino printing kits (https://hickmandesign.co.uk/buy/equipment/lino-printing-supplies/linocut-kits/) are not so bad. I’d been reading about techniques like dodging and burning to add depth to a print, but actually getting hands-on with Lino cutting tools and ink made a big difference.
John Layton
18-Oct-2024, 09:44
Lots of great suggestions here!
Just remember that whatever book (or books) you might end up with...don't forget to put them down (often), get into your darkroom - and don't be afraid of not "getting something right." In other words, just take a deep breath...and dive in!
Do consult "the book" frequently...but make enough mistakes along the way so that the story can be your own.
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