Printmakers' Secrets

by Anthony Dyson

This book comprises contributions from individual printmakers, richly illustrated with examples of their work and studios. Each of the nearly seventy participants (all members of London's Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, including several Royal Academicians) has been allocated a double page in which to offer an intimate insight into his or her working procedures, giving the reader the illusion of witnessing - behind the scenes as it were - the daily creative striving of the artist and the patient technical procedures that often underpin it. Their revelations range from the story of a near encounter with Picasso to the benefits of S. W. Hayter's uncompromising tuition at the celebrated Atelier 17 and from the taxing preparation of a mezzotint plate to the acceptance of the sometimes unforeseen but ultimately happy outcome of printing large collagraph images. An exhibition related to this book ('Out of the Sketchbook') will be held at the Bankside Gallery in London to coincide with the book's publication. This is a valuable resource for students, practising printmakers, and collectors of artists' original prints.

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2009

Reviews

[Alison Sloggett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely look at a range of printmakers and why they make their work, with a smattering of how thrown in, I personally would have liked more of the how, but good book to read

[Ian Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book for anyone experimenting in printmaking. Not actually a manual but a peek into the workings of some of the world's contemporary printmakers, with a few interesting secrets given freely, like the use of unconventional tools such as used biros, wire wool for dry point etching.

The book covers just about every method of printmaking, though is compiled by artist rather than method which makes it very readable, and is beautifully presented with good quality reproduction images (as you would hope with a book on printing) and full of inspiration. Plenty of words too from each artist. It's the kind of book you keep picking up and it's difficult to put down.