Printmaking originally arose from a demand for multiple copies of a written or artistic work. Since then, Printmaking has developed into a fine art in itself. Printmaking is the production of original images on a separate medium, usually in multiples. Depending on the Printmaking process, an artist will draw on a surface such as a metal plate, stone, or sheet of silk, which is then treated, inked, and run with paper by hand through a press to print the desired number of original pieces.
Printmaking students study intaglio (etching and engraving), monotype lithography, serigraphy (silk screen), and relief printmaking (woodcut and linocut). Most programs, after introducing all the basic techniques, require the Printmaking major to choose one area of concentration.