What Is NOT One of the Four Basic Printmaking Processes? A Complete Guide
You've probably seen a print at a gallery or museum and marveled at how it was made. Maybe you remember learning about something called "lithography" in an art class, or you've heard of woodcuts. But if someone asked you to name all four basic printmaking processes, would you freeze?
Real talk — this step gets skipped all the time.
Here's the thing — most people can't. And that's okay, because printmaking has a deeper history than most realize, with techniques that evolved over centuries across different cultures. The four basic processes are relief, intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy. Even so, everything else? It's a variation, a hybrid, or a modern innovation that falls outside those core categories.
Some disagree here. Fair enough Most people skip this — try not to..
So when someone asks you which technique is not one of the four basic printmaking processes, the answer depends on what options you're given. But understanding why requires knowing what makes these four so fundamental in the first place Small thing, real impact..
What Are the Four Basic Printmaking Processes?
Let's break them down. Now, the four basic printmaking processes are categorized by how the image gets onto the printing surface and how the ink transfers to paper. Each one works completely differently from the others, and that distinction is what makes them "basic" — they're the foundations everything else builds upon Most people skip this — try not to. Practical, not theoretical..
Relief Printing
This is the oldest method. In relief printing, you carve away the parts of the surface you don't want to print, leaving the raised areas to hold ink. When you roll ink over the surface and press paper against it, only the raised parts transfer Worth keeping that in mind. Surprisingly effective..
Woodcut is the classic example — artists carve into a block of wood, then print from it. You might also know linocut, which uses linoleum instead of wood. Metal engraving works similarly, though the tool is different Small thing, real impact. Worth knowing..
The key thing to remember: relief means the image is raised.
Intaglio Printing
Intaglio is basically the opposite. On the flip side, when you wipe the surface clean, ink stays in those recessed lines. Here, you carve or etch the image into the surface, creating grooves that hold the ink. Then you use heavy pressure to pull the ink up onto the paper.
Etching is the most famous intaglio technique. Artists coat a metal plate with wax, draw through the wax with a needle, then dip the plate in acid. The acid "bites" the exposed lines. Drypoint, engraving, and mezzotint all fall under intaglio too And that's really what it comes down to..
The image is recessed — that's your memory trick.
Lithography
Lithography changed everything when it was invented in the late 1700s. It's a planographic process, meaning the image sits on a flat surface — no raised areas, no grooves. Instead, it works on the principle that oil and water repel each other Simple, but easy to overlook..
Artists draw directly on a stone (or metal plate) using a greasy crayon or ink. Think about it: when you roll ink over a damp stone, it only sticks to the drawn parts. Think about it: the stone is treated with chemicals that make the drawn areas attract ink and the undrawn areas attract water. Then you print it.
The magic of lithography is that it allowed artists to draw almost exactly as they would on paper, but produce multiples. That's why it became so popular with artists like Toulouse-Lautrec.
Serigraphy (Screen Printing)
Serigraphy — more commonly called screen printing or silkscreen — uses a stencil. And you stretch a fine mesh screen tight, then block out areas with a waterproof material. When you push ink through the screen with a squeegee, it only passes through the open areas Which is the point..
This is the process behind most t-shirt printing, posters, and even fine art. So it's incredibly versatile because you can print on almost anything — paper, fabric, wood, metal. The ink sits on top of the surface rather than soaking in, which gives it that characteristic bold, slightly raised look Most people skip this — try not to..
Why These Four? Why Do They Matter?
Here's what most people miss: these four processes aren't arbitrary. They're fundamental because each one represents a fundamentally different mechanism for getting ink onto paper.
Relief works by contact — raised surfaces touch the paper. Lithography works by chemical attraction. Now, intaglio works by pressure and capillary action — ink gets pulled out of grooves. Serigraphy works by forcing ink through openings Turns out it matters..
Every other printmaking technique you can think of is either a variation of one of these four or a combination of them. Still, that's why art schools and art history books always come back to these four. They're the categories that everything else fits into.
Understanding this helps you actually see prints differently. Do I see the wood grain or the carved edges? Is this intaglio — do the lines look like they're etched into the surface? When you look at a print, you can start to ask: is this relief? Day to day, does it have that flat, chemical quality of lithography? Or is it bold and layered like screen printing?
That's the real value here. Here's the thing — it's not about memorizing four names. It's about understanding four different ways humans have figured out how to make multiples of an image.
So Which Techniques Are NOT Among the Four Basic Processes?
This is where it gets interesting. If someone gives you a list of printmaking techniques and asks you to pick the one that doesn't belong, you need to know what is on the list.
Common techniques that fall outside the four basics include:
- Monotype — a one-of-a-kind print made by drawing on a surface and transferring it once. Since you can't repeat it, it's not a true "multiples" process in the same way.
- Mezzotint — this is actually a variation of intaglio, but some classifications separate it.
- Aquatint — another intaglio variation, specifically for creating tonal areas.
- Collagraph — building up the printing surface with collage materials, then printing it like relief.
- Giclée — a digital print, not a traditional printmaking process at all.
- Photopolymer printing — a modern process using light-sensitive plates, often grouped with lithography or intaglio but technically a separate category.
The most common trick in quiz questions is including something like "monotype" or "giclée" alongside the four basics. Neither one fits. Monotype doesn't produce multiples, and giclée is digital, not a hand-pulled print But it adds up..
Common Mistakes People Make
Assuming all prints are the same. They absolutely are not. A woodcut feels completely different from a lithograph, both in how it looks and how it was made. Treating them all as "prints" misses the point entirely Most people skip this — try not to..
Confusing intaglio and relief. This is the most common error. Remember: relief = raised, intaglio = recessed. If you can feel the texture on the printed side, it's probably relief. If the texture is on the back (where the plate was pressed), it's probably intaglio Small thing, real impact..
Thinking lithography is just "stone printing." Yes, traditional lithography used limestone. But modern lithography almost always uses aluminum plates. The principle is the same, but the material changed.
Overlooking serigraphy. People often forget screen printing is a fine art process, not just commercial. Some of the most important contemporary artists work primarily in serigraphy.
Practical Tips for Identifying Printmaking Processes
If you want to actually tell these processes apart when you're looking at art, here's what to look for:
For relief prints: Look for visible tool marks — you can often see the grooves from the gouge or knife. Wood grain might show through. The ink tends to sit on the surface, and the edges of shapes are usually clean and hard.
For intaglio prints: The lines often have a slightly ragged or organic quality, especially in etching. You can usually feel the impression on the back of the paper where the press pressed into it. The ink looks like it's sunk into the paper rather than sitting on top Which is the point..
For lithographs: The image usually has a very smooth, drawn quality — like a pencil drawing or crayon drawing that was printed. You won't see obvious relief or texture. The ink is part of the paper surface, not sitting on top of it.
For serigraphy: Look for bold, flat colors, often with visible edges where the stencil stopped. The ink often has a slight thickness or texture to it. Layering is common — you can sometimes see where one color was printed over another Turns out it matters..
FAQ
What are the four basic printmaking processes?
The four basic printmaking processes are relief, intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy (screen printing). Each uses a fundamentally different method to transfer ink to paper Worth keeping that in mind..
Is etching one of the four basic processes?
Etching is a technique within intaglio, which is one of the four basic processes. So yes, it falls under the intaglio category.
Is monotype one of the four basic processes?
No. Monotype is a printmaking technique, but it produces a single unique image rather than multiples, so it's not considered one of the four basic processes that produce editions.
Is digital printing (giclée) one of the four basic processes?
No. Giclée is a digital printing method that emerged with computer technology. It's not one of the traditional four basic printmaking processes, which all involve hand-pulled printing.
How can I tell what process was used for a specific print?
Look at the texture, the way the ink sits on the paper, and any visible tool marks. Relief prints show raised areas, intaglio shows recessed lines, lithography looks smooth and drawn, and serigraphy often has bold, layered colors with slight texture.
The Bottom Line
The four basic printmaking processes — relief, intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy — form the foundation of how artists have made multiples for centuries. Everything else, from monotypes to digital prints, either builds on one of these or stands entirely apart from them Took long enough..
People argue about this. Here's where I land on it.
When someone asks you which technique is not one of the four, the answer depends on what you're comparing. But now you understand why these four matter and how they work. That's what actually helps you in the real world — whether you're looking at art, taking a test, or just trying to sound like you know what you're talking about at a gallery Which is the point..
The next time you see a print, take a closer look. You might be surprised how much you can suddenly notice It's one of those things that adds up..
