An Introductory Guide to Greenwich Workshop

Fine Art Printing Techniques

A complex photo-mechanical process called “offsetlithography” is used to replicate original works ofart on paper.This process involves many steps beginning with photography, separation of the image into four

“process” colors (cyan, yellow, magenta and black), the creation of screened “halftones” and color

proofs, and the “stripping”of these halftones onto metal printing plates. Increasingly, the steps prior

to printing are performed digitally. To print, inks are carried by rubber rollers called “printing blan-

kets” to the stripped metal plates (hence the term “offset”) to paper. Each color is printed sepa-

rately so the paper may go through the press numerous times. Although this process is used for

many art reproductions,The Greenwich Workshop is known for its exceptional standards working

with leading specialty fine art printers and investing in the finest quality papers and fade-resistant

inks made to our exacting specifications.While the industry standard for printing offset lithographs

is often only four colors, we routinely take the time and expense to add additional “touch” colors

resulting in exceptional color, clarity and fidelity to the original painting. In addition, Greenwich

collaborates closely with the artist during the color proofing and correcting process. Only when

the artist is satisfied, is the print edition finally run and each print personally approved with the

artist’s signature—a process which takes many months from start to finish.The result is a limited

edition which, if properly cared for, can be treasured and enjoyed for generations.

Greenwich

Workshop

Limited

Edition Prints

James C. Christensen’s

Flight of the Fablemaker

Limited to 2500

Greenwich Workshopwww.greenwichworkshop.com

The SINCE 1972

One of the appeals of an original painting isundoubtedly its canvas, which lends the paint a sub-tle texture or “feel.”To closely re-create this effect,we perfected the Greenwich Workshop Canvas.

Fine Art CanvasOffset lithographic printing is applied directly to canvas using nearly the exact techniques by which

we create our offset lithographic prints.Our inks are specially adjusted for this technique and the can-

vas we select has many of the same characteristics as the artist’s original canvas.The process has been

adapted for printing in this medium with excellent results.And, like an original painting,a Greenwich

Workshop Fine Art Canvas offers the benefit of framing without glass. Generally, “texture” in this

process comes from the canvas itself and any additional original painting and enhancements to the

canvas readily stand out. From time to time, Greenwich artists will hand-paint on each canvas, mak-

ing each one an “original.”Greenwich does not use a studio approach; all hand-painting is done per-

sonally by the artist.

Textured CanvasThis unique technique replicates the look and feel of an original painting, including canvas texture

and the artist’s original brushstrokes.The image is first printed by offset lithography with oil-based

inks on a thick piece of oil-based material.A mold of the original painting can be used as a guide

to create a feeling of brushstrokes, or the artist can re-create the brushstrokes him or herself.The

mold is used with heat and pressure to bond the printed image to artist-quality canvas.

Giclée CanvasThis technique is also referred to as Iris printing, after the brand name of a particular inkjet print-

er, which is used to create limited editions on canvas as well as paper. Each second, the inkjet

printer produces over four million extremely fine droplets of ink that combine to form more than

two thousand shades of color resulting in an image of exceptional clarity and color fidelity.

No canvas transfers! Canvas transfer has become a generic term that is not the standard by which GreenwichWorkshop canvas should be referred. Most transfers are a chemical process by which inks are lift-ed from the original medium (usually paper) to another (canvas). Most inks, papers and print-ing processes were not designed for this use so there can be a breakdown in color.We cannotcontrol the image fidelity and will not put our name on this process.

An Introductory Guide to Greenwich Workshop

Fine Art Printing Techniques

Greenwich

Workshop

Canvas—An

Art in Itself

Howard Terpning’s

Textured Canvas

Council of Chiefs (detail)

Limited to 950

Greenwich Workshopwww.greenwichworkshop.com

The SINCE 1972

An Introductory Guide to Greenwich Workshop

Fine Art Printing Techniques

Intimacy by Thomas Blackshear II (detail, shown right), was produced

through the exacting serigraph process, using more than 120 hand-

applied colors. Also commonly known as silk-screening, serigraphy is a

time-honored technique, based on stenciling, for creating prints by hand.

Ink or paint is carefully brushed through a fine fabric screen, portions of

which have been masked for impermeability. For each color, a different

portion of the screen must be masked and each color must be allowed to dry before the next is

applied. Like Greenwich Workshop fine art lithographs, our fine art serigraphs are created from an

original painting, and the artist can see and adjust the evolution of the colors through many proofing

stages.The depth of color in the resulting fine art serigraph is almost luminous.

Greenwich

Workshop

Fine ArtSerigraphs

James Bama’s Blackfoot Ceremonial Headdress (shown right) was created by

specialized printmakers who have customized ink-jet technology specif-

ically for fine art.This technique is also called Iris printing,after the brand

name of a particular ink-jet printer.Each second, the ink-jet printer pro-

duces over four million droplets of ink that combine to form more than

two thousand shades of color. Blackfoot Ceremonial Headdress was printed

on the same archival watercolor paper that Bama used for the original

painting and must be treated as carefully. Greenwich Workshop giclée

prints on paper are identified by the chop marks of the printer and The

Greenwich Workshop. (Giclée printing is also used on canvas.)

Greenwich

Workshop

Fine Art

Giclées

Fine art lithographs, like Paul Landry’s Summer Mist, (detail, shown right)

are created by hand in a process that dates back to the 18th century

and is the origin of the modern offset lithographic process.A separate

plate is used to print each color (thirty-three in the case of Summer

Mist) and each plate is hand-drawn by the artist or a chromiste.The

plates are printed one at a time and each color is allowed to dry before

the next one is printed, giving the artist an opportunity to see how

the colors are building and to make changes, if necessary.A Greenwich Workshop “fine art” lith-

ograph is published from an original painting; an “original” lithograph is created directly on the

plates, without an original painting as a guide. This distinction is not overlooked by The

Greenwich Workshop.

Greenwich

Workshop

Fine Art

Lithographs

Greenwich Workshopwww.greenwichworkshop.com

The SINCE 1972