LETTERING.
All printed inscriptions relating to the design represented in a print. Written references on prints first appeared in the fifteenth century. In the seventeenth century the lettering took on a particular importance with the addition of dedications, mottoes, tokens of esteem, etc., to the usual titles and descriptions. In the eighteenth century it became habitual to take a proof of an engraving before lettering, i.e. before any writing had been engraved. Proofs were also taken with the lettering in the process of being made, e.g. with white lettering in which only the contours of the writing have been engraved, with grey lettering in which the letters have been lightly hatched, or with scratched lettering, where the writing has been deleted. Some of the lettering concerns the fabrication of the print. The author of the design or the original painting is designated by name followed by: delineavit, del. (designed), invenit or inv. (invented), etc. The author of an engraving itself is described most frequently by: sculpsit, sculp., sc., incisit, incidit or inc. (engraved); or equally by: fecit, fee., fe., ft., or f. (made) which also applies to the craftsman of a print in any other technique. Perfecit signifies the completion of the work, possibly by a second engraver. The name of the publisher has for a long time been accompanied by excudit, excud. Or excudebat, and more recently by chez or the Italian version appresso. The name of the printer is followed by formis and that of the lithographic printer by lith. Artists who print their own prints may inscribe after their signature imp. Or impressit. On some old French prints, the name of the dealer or tradesman is found preceded by se vend chez. Copyrights granted to engravers were expressed by A.P.D.R. Or C.P.R. (French royal privileges) and by Published According to Act of Parliament in England (from 1735).

LIGHT-STAINING.
A print which has been exposed to the light, over a long period, without any protection, becomes dusty and dirty and acquires a stained appearance.

LINE.
This refers to any line as it appears on an impression, whether taken from the inked or uninked parts of the printing element; as well as to the incisions made in a plate or block, and the marks on a lithographic stone.

SIMPLE LINE.
A single line, i.e. one that has not been strengthened by successive stages of cutting.

LINE ENGRAVING.
A term sometimes used to specify an engraving made with the burin.

LINING or RELINING.
The process of adhering a reinforcing fabric to the back of a canvas painting, giving it new strength and durability. There are two types of adhesives used: in glue lining, an aqueous glue composition is used; in the wax-resin process an adhesive composition based on beeswax is employed. In all cases, the infusion of the adhesive into voids in the paint layers serves also to consolidate weakened paint layers. Relining refers strictly to a second or subsequent lining, in which the old lining is removed and replaced.

LINOCUT.
An abbreviation of linoleum cut. The technique is a derivation of the woodcut but owing to the supple, relatively soft properties of the material, linocuts have different characteristics. The material takes all types of lines, but is most suited to large designs with contrasting dark and light flat tints. The material is cut with small pen-like tools which have a mushroom-shaped handle. The tools have a variety of forms: straight and rounded edge, double-pointed, as a chisel or a Vshaped chisel, etc. As on a woodcut, the relief parts of the block are inked. For printing a large number of important proofs, the lino is attached to a wooden block. Color printing is done with several lino blocks.

LITH.
Abbreviation of lithographer. In the nineteenth century it preceded the name of the printer at the base of numerous lithographs.

LITHOGRAPH. (See printmaking techniques)
Along with woodcutting and intaglio engraving, this is one of the oldest methods of printmaking.
 

LITHOGRAPHIC ENGRAVING.
Engravings can be produced on a lithographic stone by a variety of preparations. The lines achieved slightly resemble those of a steel engraving. The technique lies half way between planographic and intaglio printing.

LITHOGRAPHIC ETCHING.
A polished lithographic stone can also be used for etching. The surface is covered with liquid ground such as is used for intaglio printing. After drying, the drawing is done with a blunt needle. A dilute acid is used as a mordant. N.B. This must not be confused with the etching used in lithography to fix the image to the stone.

LITHOGRAPHIC MEZZOTINT.
A method which is akin to mezzotint in metal engraving although it does not attain quite the same quality. Various methods of working the stone exist of which the aim is to create the white areas by scraping away parts of a specially prepared black background.

LITHOGRAPHIC WASH.
A process used in lithography for obtaining the effects of a wash drawing. It has also been known as a lithotint. It must not be confused with a lithographic aquatint in which the grain is more marked. The color is applied with a dabber.

LITHOGRAPHY.
With woodcutting and intaglio engraving, this is one of the oldest methods of printmaking. It dates from the end of the eighteenth century. It is based on the chemical fact that there is a natural antipathy between grease and water. The image is drawn on a stone with a greasy ink which is dark in color only to aid the draughtsman with his work, The stone is then thoroughly dampened; the water remains on the ungreased areas only. The printing ink is applied with a roller: it adheres only to the greased parts. Lightly dampened paper is then placed over the surface of the image, followed by a protective sheet. Stone and paper are passed through a flat-bed scraper press.

Lithographic printing is a delicate operation necessitating a careful preparation of the stone and a particular kind of inking. The prints are not marked by the effect of the press as in intaglio printing, although a slight mark indicating the edge of the stone is sometimes visible.

Transfer methods can be used to avoid the difficulties involved in moving heavy stones round a studio. The drawings are made on transfer paper which is grained, or on autographic paper which is smooth, and then transferred to the stone. Lithographic methods have also been adapted to metal plates (grained zinc and aluminium). Lithographic color printing is done with several stones (or metal plates), one for each color