1936 Vogue
magazine with a photoengraving
cover shot by Steichen
As
discussed earlier, photomechanical prints are not genuine photographs but ink
and printing press prints. This chapter
looks at some standard photomechanical processes used from the 1800s to today.
PHOTOLITHOGRAPH
/HALF-
TONE
LITHOGRAPH
Photolithography,
or half-tone lithography, is a form of lithography used to make a wide variety
of photorealistic images. You have owned
thousands of photolithographs. For decades photolithography has been used to make the images
for posters, postcards, books, magazines, cereal boxes, brochures, maps and
countless other commercial products.
Photolithographs
are made up of a fine pattern of printed dots.
These dots are visible under a strong magnifying glass or microscope. For black and white prints the dots are
black. For color prints there will be a
variety of color dots. Under microscopic
magnification, the dots appear like splotches of paint or color glue. Digital computer prints, including giclees, closely resemble half-tone lithographs.
Photolithography
is a commercial form of printing and is typically used for large print
runs. If you find a photolithograph, it
is safe to assume many identical prints were made.
Photoengraving
Photoengraving,
or half-tone relief, was an old time commercial printing method. In the early to mid 1900s, photoengraving was
used to make the images for magazines, newspapers, advertising posters and many
trading cards and postcards.
As
with photolithography, a photoengraving produces a realistic image that is made
up of a fine series of dots. These dots
are visible with a strong magnifying glass.
The dots can be one color or, for color prints, a variety of colors
Under
a microscope of 50x or more power, photoengraving is
easily distinguished from photolithography.
The ink pattern has a distinct dark rim or edge. In areas the ink pattern will resemble a
waffle.
,
Microscopic
view of photoengraving with
the dark edge
and waffle-like pattern
If
you see the distinct microscopic photoengraving ink pattern on a commercial print, like a poster or
calendar, this is very strong evidence that the print is old. Photoengraving was discontinued for commercial
uses many years ago.
COLLOTYPE
Collotype
was a photomechanical process popular in the early 1900s. It was versatile and produced high quality
images on many types of paper. Some
examples can be difficult to distinguish from photographs.
The
images can be in any color and usually have a matte surface. Under the microscope, the ink pattern in the
image is reticulated, meaning that it appears like a mosaic with similar size
pieces of irregular shapes. Sometimes it
resembles a bowl of macaroni noodles.
Some collotypes were varnished, making it difficult to see the
reticulation even under magnification.
Many
early 1900s postcards and movie lobby cards were collotypes. Postcards with ‘Albertype’
printed on back are collotypes and usually date to the earlier 1900s. The process is sometimes used in the fine
arts.
Most
sports collotypes are many years old, as the process was discontinued for
commercial use years ago.
Microscopic view of a
1920s collotype movie lobby
card showing the distinct
reticulated pattern
Screen Printing,
Seriography, Silk Screen
Screen
printing, also known as seriography and silk-screen,
is a relatively recent form of printing popular in the fine arts. Based on an ancient form of printing called
stenciling, screen printing was developed about 1890 and popularly adopted by
artists in the 1960s.
Screen
prints are known for their bright ‘pop art’ colors and designs, and can
incorporate photo realistic images, called photo-stencils. A mesh is used in the process, and this mesh
does not allow for the fineness of other prints. Screen prints can be difficult to distinguish
from lithographs. A print can often be
identified as a screen print when the pattern of the mesh appears in the
printed ink.
Screen
prints won’t be mistaken for real photographs as screen prints can’t produce
photographic detail and commonly have bright comic-book colors.
Roy
Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol were two of the most famous screen printers.
PHOTOGRAUVE
(Gravure, Rotogravure)
Photogravure,
also known as gravure and rotogravure, is a process known for its excellent
image quality and detail. It was
invented in the late 1800s and is still used today by fine artists. The surface is matte and the image can come
in any color. The print was created by
using heavier ink to create the dark image areas and less ink to create the
light areas. Great pressure was used to squeeze the ink onto the paper, and a plate mark may exist on the paper. A plate mark appears as a pressed in area
just larger than the printed image, and is created by the printing
pressure. Sometimes this mark was trimmed
off. Antique photogravures sometimes have images that are faded and with
foxing.
Under
the microscope, an irregular, often speckled ink pattern exists. A variation of the photogravure called the
rotary photogravure (‘rotogravure) was produced on a cylinder. The ink on the photogravure image is set up
in an even grid with dots of ink surrounded by intersecting white lines. This pattern is similar to that in
photoengraving and photolithography.
Gravure
was most commonly used in the old days, so gravure printing is consistent with
a sports print being old. Many old
newspapers had special rotogravure picture sections, including pictures of
sports stars.
WOODBURYTYPE
The
Woodburytype, called photglyphie
by the French, was a 1800s process capable of highest quality images. They are
nearly identical in visual appearance to the carbon print photograph described
in an earlier chapter. Unlike other photomechanical processes, the Woodburytype has no printed ink pattern.
Most
Woodburytypes were used as book illustrations, and
cannot be larger than 11" by 14."
Some can be mounted, including as cabinet cards. ‘Woodburytype’ is
commonly printed just below the image.
If
you find a Woodburytype, you know it’s old, as the
process was only used in the later 1800s.
Woodbury-Gravure is a similar process
also only used in the 1800s. It usually
has the name printed beneath the image.
Cabinet Card with a Woodburytype print of Buffalo Bill Cody.
As is typical ‘Woodburytype’ is printed below the print.
COMPUTER
PRINTS
Computer
printing is used today in both our normal lives and in the fine arts. While there have been numerous processes
used in the past several decades, this section focuses on the two most commonly
used: electrostatic printing and ink jet printing. The popular giclee
process is a type of ink jet printing.
Electrographic Printing: Laser Printer, Photocopier and Xerox
Large
numbers of reproductions have been made using these printers, all of which use
electrostatic or electrographic printing. Under the microscope, the resulting
prints are easily identified. The lines are made up of many tiny dust-like
grains of pigment that have been fused to the electostically
charged area. However, not all the grains make it to the intended area, so the
print is identified by the many stragglers outside the lines. It looks like it
needs a dusting.
Microscopic view of a laser
computer print,
showing the unique ‘dusty’ ink pattern
Inkjet , including Giclee
Today’s
inkjet printer can produce attractive color and black and white reproductions,
and can be printed on many surfaces. There are a variety of types, all
squirting the ink onto paper surface. Under the microscope, the image is made
up of a fine dot pattern closely resembling a photolithograph.
The
giclee, or iris print, is a fancy type of
inkjet printing often used in the fine arts.
High quality reproductions of paintings, photographs and prints can be
made. It can print on a variety of papers, from matte to glossy to canvas. As the images are resistant to fading and
deterioration, the process is used to make many limited edition display
photographs. Famous photographers who
have made giclees include Richard Avedon,
William Weldman, Walter Chin and David Hockney.
Cycleback.com: Judging the Authenticity of
Photographs
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rudd cycleback,
cycleback.com