Printing Block
ca. 1898 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a line block of a design for a greetings card by the illustrator and Punch cartoonist, Phillip May (1854–1903).
It was made by photographing the drawing and exposing the negative onto a zinc plate coated with gelatin. The exposed image in the form of hardened gelatin, was treated to protect it from the effects of acid. The plate was put into acid, which ate into the exposed areas leaving the protected lines standing in relief. For printing, the zinc was fixed to a woodblock.
The advantage of line block was that it photographically reproduced lines and lettering drawn by an artist and did not need to be ‘interpreted’ by an engraver. As a relief process, it could also be printed alongside relief type used to print text, which allowed vignette illustrations to be positioned within pages of text. Line block reproduced both line and areas of black (or any single colour) well but for mid-tones another process called halftone as required.
It was made by photographing the drawing and exposing the negative onto a zinc plate coated with gelatin. The exposed image in the form of hardened gelatin, was treated to protect it from the effects of acid. The plate was put into acid, which ate into the exposed areas leaving the protected lines standing in relief. For printing, the zinc was fixed to a woodblock.
The advantage of line block was that it photographically reproduced lines and lettering drawn by an artist and did not need to be ‘interpreted’ by an engraver. As a relief process, it could also be printed alongside relief type used to print text, which allowed vignette illustrations to be positioned within pages of text. Line block reproduced both line and areas of black (or any single colour) well but for mid-tones another process called halftone as required.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Lineblock |
| Brief description | Lineblock. Philip William May. New Year Card, ca. 1898. |
| Physical description | A girl out walking with her dog in the snow. She is wearing a fur-lined hat, cloak and muff. She is being distracted by a boy wearing a woolly hat decorated with holly and hiding mistletoe behind his back. In the background to the left is a landscape of trees. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Production type | Limited edition |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | Line blocks and half-tone plates are mounted on wood in order to make them the same height as the type.
Printmaking Techniques Gallery, Henry Cole Wing(1983) |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This is a line block of a design for a greetings card by the illustrator and Punch cartoonist, Phillip May (1854–1903). It was made by photographing the drawing and exposing the negative onto a zinc plate coated with gelatin. The exposed image in the form of hardened gelatin, was treated to protect it from the effects of acid. The plate was put into acid, which ate into the exposed areas leaving the protected lines standing in relief. For printing, the zinc was fixed to a woodblock. The advantage of line block was that it photographically reproduced lines and lettering drawn by an artist and did not need to be ‘interpreted’ by an engraver. As a relief process, it could also be printed alongside relief type used to print text, which allowed vignette illustrations to be positioned within pages of text. Line block reproduced both line and areas of black (or any single colour) well but for mid-tones another process called halftone as required. |
| Associated object | E.1194-1976 (Impression) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.1193-1976 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 17, 2005 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
