Often our customers ask about certain terms used in the art industry and are unclear of the meanings. Below are some commonly used terms describing art work If you have any questions please give us call and we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. (516) 798-8400 or (516) 558-7511 or you may email us using the form on the contact us page.
Framing Limited Edition and Original Prints at Long Island Picture Frame & Art Gallery
Glossary of Printing Terms
Acid-free: specially manufactured materials that have been treated with calcium carbonate to neutralize “free Acids” that may cause embrittlement and deterioration. The calcium carbonate leaves an alkaline reserve that remains in the material.
Artist Proof (AP): copies of a print made in the early stages of the printing process; EP abbreviates the French, Epreuvre d’Artiste.
Apres: (After) a piece of art executed in the style of another artist, or a copy of another’s work in the original or different medium.
Aquatint: an intaglio method using heat-fused, powdered rosin and acids to etch the plate.
AR Reflection Control Glass: glass offers the same amazing clarity as Museum Glass®, but does not provide Conservation Grade UV Protection. It allows over 97% light transmission and reduces reflections to less than 1%. The result, enhanced colors, brightness and reflection-free viewing for optimal clarity.
Canceled Plate: a printing plate that has been deliberately defaced to prevent the printing of additional images.
Carrier Sheet: the border area of paper surrounding the print image.
Collograph: a print made by inking a plate constructed from various objects in a collage form.
Conservation Clear Glass: picture framing glass offers the highest level of UV protection available in the industry. Over time exposure to indoor and outdoor UV light rays can contribute to fading and deterioration of art, photographs and other important personal keepsakes. Conservation Clear glass effectively blocks up to 99% of UV light rays to protect against fading and help keep framed pieces brighter, longer.
Deckle: the uneven feathered edge of a paper.
Drypoint: an intaglio engraving method where the image is incised into a plate, leaving a burr around the line edge.
Edition: the number of prints in a printing of an artwork.
Embossed: a design in relief on paper.
Engraving: an intaglio method where a “burin” or “graver” is used to incise grooves into a plate.
Etching: an intaglio method where the design is incised into a metal plate using acid and an acid-resistant ground.
Giclee: a fine art digital print, made on an inkjet printer.
Hand-Colored (HC): refers to a printed image with various opaque and transparent paints applied by hand.
Hand-pulled: refers to the artist having personally pulled the print from the press.
Intaglio: a printmaking technique requiring the incision of the image into the plate; types include engraving, etching, drypoint, mezzotint and aquatint.
Limited edition: a printing of an image restricted to a specified number.
Acid-free: specially manufactured materials that have been treated with calcium carbonate to neutralize “free Acids” that may cause embrittlement and deterioration. The calcium carbonate leaves an alkaline reserve that remains in the material.
Artist Proof (AP): copies of a print made in the early stages of the printing process; EP abbreviates the French, Epreuvre d’Artiste.
Apres: (After) a piece of art executed in the style of another artist, or a copy of another’s work in the original or different medium.
Aquatint: an intaglio method using heat-fused, powdered rosin and acids to etch the plate.
AR Reflection Control Glass: glass offers the same amazing clarity as Museum Glass®, but does not provide Conservation Grade UV Protection. It allows over 97% light transmission and reduces reflections to less than 1%. The result, enhanced colors, brightness and reflection-free viewing for optimal clarity.
Canceled Plate: a printing plate that has been deliberately defaced to prevent the printing of additional images.
Carrier Sheet: the border area of paper surrounding the print image.
Collograph: a print made by inking a plate constructed from various objects in a collage form.
Conservation Clear Glass: picture framing glass offers the highest level of UV protection available in the industry. Over time exposure to indoor and outdoor UV light rays can contribute to fading and deterioration of art, photographs and other important personal keepsakes. Conservation Clear glass effectively blocks up to 99% of UV light rays to protect against fading and help keep framed pieces brighter, longer.
Deckle: the uneven feathered edge of a paper.
Drypoint: an intaglio engraving method where the image is incised into a plate, leaving a burr around the line edge.
Edition: the number of prints in a printing of an artwork.
Embossed: a design in relief on paper.
Engraving: an intaglio method where a “burin” or “graver” is used to incise grooves into a plate.
Etching: an intaglio method where the design is incised into a metal plate using acid and an acid-resistant ground.
Giclee: a fine art digital print, made on an inkjet printer.
Hand-Colored (HC): refers to a printed image with various opaque and transparent paints applied by hand.
Hand-pulled: refers to the artist having personally pulled the print from the press.
Intaglio: a printmaking technique requiring the incision of the image into the plate; types include engraving, etching, drypoint, mezzotint and aquatint.
Limited edition: a printing of an image restricted to a specified number.
Linoleum cut: a relief or block method of printing where the material surrounding the image is cut away, leaving the image to be printed.
Lithography: printing from a flat surface on which the image is ink-receptive and blank areas are ink-resistant; process may be done by hand or photo mechanically.
Matting or Mat: The picture-framing mat is most commonly known by laymen for its use as additional decoration to enhance the look of a framed piece, sometimes in conjunction with a fillet or more rarely, liners made of wooden moulding with a cloth surface. Although matting usually contains only one opening per layer, it may contain none if a picture is "float-mounted" or "top-mounted" (placed on top of the mat), and mats with two or more exist, more commonly with photography of the family or pictures of individual family members type than other types of artwork. Typically the mat or mats, if matched carefully and properly proportioned, serve to help draw the eye in towards the framed piece, or towards a particular key element of the piece. However, while the mat is usually regarded as something to complement or set off the artwork to best effect, or not to interfere or compete with it (neutral-colored mats are often preferred by high-end art galleries, there are some examples of the mat being regarded by the artist as a part of the artwork. Mats can be decorated as described below, used as a surface for the continuation of the artwork within, or can incorporate three-dimensional aspects, though the last two are highly unusual.
Mezzotint: an intaglio method in which a tool called a “rocker” is used to roughen the plate, then scrapers and burnishers are used to smooth areas of the plate, creating the image.
Monoprint/Monotype: a one-of-a-kind print made in a single impression from a single plate.
Museum Glass: anti-reflection picture framing glass with Conservation Grade UV Protection is the best glazing option available for art, photographs and other important personal keepsakes. Along with its nearly invisible finish, it effectively blocks up to 99% of harmful indoor and outdoor UV light rays so framed pieces remain clearer and brighter for longer.
Numbered Print: a sequentially numbered print, in a limited print edition.
Open Edition: prints that may be reprinted in any quantity without restrictions.
Photomechanical: the reproduction of an image using photographic methods.
Poster: a pictorial advertisement for an exhibit, event or product; may be artist-produced or commercially printed.
Rag Paper: high-quality paper made from 100% cotton fiber.
Regular Premier Glass: glass is the highest quality regular framing glass available.
Remarque Proof: a print to which the artist has added a small marginal sketch or token to indicate its supposed superiority to other prints; popular in the 19th century.
Serigraph: a print made by the silkscreen process, by or under the supervision of the artist.
Lithography: printing from a flat surface on which the image is ink-receptive and blank areas are ink-resistant; process may be done by hand or photo mechanically.
Matting or Mat: The picture-framing mat is most commonly known by laymen for its use as additional decoration to enhance the look of a framed piece, sometimes in conjunction with a fillet or more rarely, liners made of wooden moulding with a cloth surface. Although matting usually contains only one opening per layer, it may contain none if a picture is "float-mounted" or "top-mounted" (placed on top of the mat), and mats with two or more exist, more commonly with photography of the family or pictures of individual family members type than other types of artwork. Typically the mat or mats, if matched carefully and properly proportioned, serve to help draw the eye in towards the framed piece, or towards a particular key element of the piece. However, while the mat is usually regarded as something to complement or set off the artwork to best effect, or not to interfere or compete with it (neutral-colored mats are often preferred by high-end art galleries, there are some examples of the mat being regarded by the artist as a part of the artwork. Mats can be decorated as described below, used as a surface for the continuation of the artwork within, or can incorporate three-dimensional aspects, though the last two are highly unusual.
Mezzotint: an intaglio method in which a tool called a “rocker” is used to roughen the plate, then scrapers and burnishers are used to smooth areas of the plate, creating the image.
Monoprint/Monotype: a one-of-a-kind print made in a single impression from a single plate.
Museum Glass: anti-reflection picture framing glass with Conservation Grade UV Protection is the best glazing option available for art, photographs and other important personal keepsakes. Along with its nearly invisible finish, it effectively blocks up to 99% of harmful indoor and outdoor UV light rays so framed pieces remain clearer and brighter for longer.
Numbered Print: a sequentially numbered print, in a limited print edition.
Open Edition: prints that may be reprinted in any quantity without restrictions.
Photomechanical: the reproduction of an image using photographic methods.
Poster: a pictorial advertisement for an exhibit, event or product; may be artist-produced or commercially printed.
Rag Paper: high-quality paper made from 100% cotton fiber.
Regular Premier Glass: glass is the highest quality regular framing glass available.
Remarque Proof: a print to which the artist has added a small marginal sketch or token to indicate its supposed superiority to other prints; popular in the 19th century.
Serigraph: a print made by the silkscreen process, by or under the supervision of the artist.
Signed and Numbered: the artist’s signature appears on the print, along with the print’s individual number and the total number of prints in the edition.
Silkscreen: a printing method using a stencil attached to stretched silk or polyester fabric, through which ink is forced onto a flat surface. The commercial form of this process is called screen printing.
Silkscreen: a printing method using a stencil attached to stretched silk or polyester fabric, through which ink is forced onto a flat surface. The commercial form of this process is called screen printing.