On equal art terms

by Nicola Shepherd

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A few�impressive words go a long way, especially in the art world. Art critics have an enviable knack of�using obsure words�to describe what�everyone else�would�call a print

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Well, to help you translate exactly what they're going on about�here's the AnswerBank's guide to�all things art:

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Relief prints - think potato prints in primary school art class.

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Wood cut - a picture made from a stamp carved into the plank edge of a piece of wood.

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Wood engraving -� as above ,but cut into the endgrain�of the wood.

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Metal engraving - the picture is cut by hand into metal blocks.

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Chiaroscuro - a relief print in muted tones that resembles a wash drawing.

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Intaglio prints - etchings and engravings - the majority of prints.

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Engraving - all the lines of the print image are incised into metal blocks with a special tool called a burin

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Etching - the lines are not incised with a tool, but bitten into the metal by acid.

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Copper or steel engraving - describes the metal on which the image is engraved to be printed.

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Mezzotint - the surface of the plate is textured with a mezzotint rocker. This gives softer edges to�the image when printed.

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Photogravure - printed from a copper plate with a light-sensitised coating and rolled onto the print paper.

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Planographic prints�- mostly lithographs.

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Lithographs - printed from a stone or metal surface using the same principles as�the wax resist pictures from primary school. The image can be achieved on the particular surface by pen and ink, chalk or engraving.

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Collotype - a light-sentised gelatin is used as the lithographic plate.

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Screen print - a print made�by introducing ink�to paper or other medium through a screen. One screen is used for each colour.