DABBER.
There are
various types of dabbers used in printmaking. The inking
dabber, a round tool, with a wide base, is covered in
leather of fine skin; it is used for inking the
incisions on an intaglio plate and the relief areas on a
wood block. A dabber is also used for laying the ground:
it is half-moon shaped, stuffed with cotton and covered
in silk. In lithography, a type of wash is applied to
the stone with a dabber made of a ball of cotton covered
with fine skin.
DAMPENING.
1. Paper is often
moistened before printing as this makes it more flexible
when contact is made with the block, plate, etc., and
also ensures better receptivity of the ink. 2. In
lithography and offset lithography the surface of the
stone must be thoroughly dampened before the printing
ink is applied. This prevents the ink from adhering to
the nongreased parts.
DEACIDIFY.
To chemically stabilize acidic paper; can be either an
aqueous or non-aqueous treatment.
DECKLE
EDGE.
The rough uneven edge on
handmade paper and on some good quality machine made
paper which has been left untrimmed.
DISINTEGRATION OF PAPER.
Printing error which
occurs if paper that has been excessively dampened is
put in the press. It becomes attached to the plate and
disintegrates.
DOTTER
MANNER.
A method of engraving
dating from the fifteenth century. Small round holes
were stamped with a punch and hammer into a metal plate
which was then inked and printed as a relief block or
metalcut. The stamped work appears as white dots
surrounded by black and gives a crude effect of tone.
DOT WORK.
A loose description of
the surface of any metal plate, either relief (see:
dotted manner) or intaglio, which has been dotted or
grained in a manner such as to create an impression of
tone when printed. The dots can be achieved either by
working directly on the plate or by etching through a
ground.
DOUBLE
IMAGE.
A printing error which
causes the image of the print to appear twice. It occurs
if the paper falls out of alignment as a result of not
being properly secured during one or, more likely, two
passages through the press. The blankets may also cause
the paper to move if not properly fixed.
DRYING.
1. The layer of ink on a
freshly printed sheet can dry in one of three different
ways: by evaporation of the solvent that maintains the
ink in a liquid form; by penetration of the paper; or by
oxidation on contact with the air. Inks used in relief,
intaglio and lithographic printing dry by penetrating
the paper and by oxidation; those used in photogravure
dry by evaporation and by penetration. The greasy inks
used in screenprinting dry by oxidizing and by
penetrating the paper; cellulose and water-based inks
also dry by evaporation and by penetration. 2. The
drying of paper: in intaglio and lithographic printing,
the paper is dampened before an impression is taken. It
is then flattened by laying it between sheets of
cardboard and dried in a press for at least twelve
hours. 3. Methods of drying: in most techniques, an
electric drier propelling hot or cold air is used. In
screenprinting, freshly printed sheets have to be placed
on specially constructed racks, as it i more important
for them to be kept well apart when drying than in other
techniques. Usually is sufficient to make a pile of
fresh impression with interleaving sheets.
DRYPOINT.
(See printmaking techniques)
A method of intaglio engraving on metal.
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