I recently purchased
a Picasso lithograph from a reputable art dealer. I understand how lithographs
are made, but how can one tell if something is an original lithograph or
a copy of a lithograph? Is there an easy way to tell the difference?
The answer is more than a yes or no. I would like to approach the answer
to your question assuming you don't have much information about the difference
between hand lithograph and
offset lithography. This way I can give a more complete answer.
When a hand lithograph is made the artist draws directly on the printing
element. (stone, aluminum, Mylar, etc.) From this drawing the prints are
inked and pulled. One drawing for each different color. Each print records
the unique mark of the artist and their hand.
When prints are made using offset lithography, an original (painting, drawing,
watercolor etc.) Are taken to a commercial printer. The printer photographs
the original and then converts all the colors into a combination of 4. (Red,
Yellow, Blue, and Black) A negative is made for each of these colors and
a photographic plate is prepared for printing. They are run, usually all
at once on large high speed presses. The mark of the artist is lost in the
translation from original to photograph and then
color separation. Depending on the printer, colors can vary drastically
from the original.
A common way to tell if a print is a hand lithograph or an offset lithograph
is to look at the print under magnification. Marks from a hand lithograph
will show a random dot pattern created by the tooth of the surface drawn
on. Inks may lay directly on top of others and it will have a very rich
look. Prints from an offset press will show a mechanical dot pattern from
the color separations. Each color generates a separate dot pattern that
when combined produce a very small circle or "rosette". The dot
patterns look like the dot from the newspaper comics but smaller. You can
easily see these dots under small magnification or sometimes with the naked
eye. All the dots line up in neat little rows. If you can see these dots
it is a sure sign of camera and commercial involvement. If the dots are
random and you purchased the print from a reputable dealer it is most likely
a hand drawn lithograph.
I understand that AP on a lithograph denotes an artist's proof. What do HC, EA, and BAT mean?
The designation HC stands for Hors Commerce. These are prints pulled with the main edition but are not numbered with it. They are used for commercial purposes such as entering shows or advertising. They are normally not sold.
The Mark EA stands for Epreuve D Artiste. This is another designation for Artist's proof.
BAT (Bon A Tirer) is the designation given to the print by which the rest of the edition is evaluated. It a print does not match the BAT it is destroyed. Only those prints that are high enough quality are made part of the edition. The BAT is not part of the numbered edition and typically belongs to the printer rather than the artist.
In your literature
on your crayons, you give the etch formula for using nitric acid.
Do you have a recommended formula or advice for using T.A.P.E.M. with
your drawing materials?
I am assuming that you are using the T.A.P.E.M. etch formula on plates.
This etch works great!! On the majority of drawings a 50/50 etch will work
fine. That's half T.A.P.E.M. and half straight gum. On drawings that are
particularly dark you could use the T.A.P.E.M. straight. This is assuming
that the straight etch is at a pH of about 2.0-2.3
