5 Great Books on Printmaking

5 books on printmaking that offer great information on printing techniques, photography, Photoshop, mixed media ideas, and more!

Have you tried finding good publications on printmaking but don’t know where to begin?

Here are 5 great books on printmaking that we recommend:

301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques

Author: Andrew Darlow

From start to finish, this book covers everything printmakers need to know to get the most out of their printer. Printmakers of all levels of expertise will find very useful tips in this book.

Some of the topics covered include: choosing the right printer, file preparation, Photoshop techniques, color management, black & white printing, media handling, RIP software, and more.

Each tip goes into detail and covers not just how to apply these techniques, but why you are applying them. Andrew includes many tips from guest contributors so you get insightful advice from other artists and photographers.

There are hundreds of color photos to go along with the step-by-step instructions presented in this book.

Andrew also talks about building a portfolio, putting together a great exhibit, and creating framed prints. There is even a comprehensive index to quickly locate all of the topics covered.

This is a great all-around book that should be part of every printmakers library.

Purchase here: 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques

Real World Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications

Author: Claudia McCue

In this book, Claudia covers a wide variety of techniques using the Adobe Creative Suite including: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Acrobat.

Graphic Designers will gain a better understanding of how to properly set file resolution, use fonts, combine images, and combine elements from various programs to create the final product.

This book is geared to the computer/software end of the printing process, so it’s a great item for anyone that uses multiple software programs and techniques.

Raster and Vector images are also covered, explaining the differences between the two and giving you insight on how to properly combine them into a high-quality print file.

Purchase here: Real World Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications

Fine Art Printing for Photographers

Author: Uwe Steinmueller

Another great step-by-step instructional book, Uwe covers all the essential topics to creating great prints.

He offers his tips on color management, ICC profiling, and choosing the right paper. The importance of accurate color is explained, and how it affects your camera, your monitor, and your printer.

Monitor calibration, lighting/viewing conditions, and displaying your prints are some other topics covered, and there are numerous before-and-after examples.

For the photographer that wants to learn how to better control their camera to monitor to printer workflow, this is a great book to have.

Purchase here: Fine Art Printing for Photographers

Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media

Author: Bonny Pierce Lhotka

Bonny shows you how to personalize your digital prints using lots of creative mixed media applications.

You’ll learn how to print transfers to metal, wood, plastic, and other materials. You’ll learn how ordinary materials you may already have can be used to transform your prints into truly unique prints that stand out.

For the artist who enjoys embellishing prints, you’ll learn what else can be used besides standard texturizing gels, much like our previous post on Using Glamour 2 as a Texturizing Gel.

Along with the examples given in the book, there is also a DVD that shows these processes from start to finish. If you have been searching for new ways to create your own style of prints using mixed media, this is a great place to start.

Purchase here: Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media

Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials

Author: Karin Schminke

This books covers canvas, fine art paper, photo paper, wood, leather, fabric, and other substrates that can either be printed on or transferred to.

Have you ever wanted to make a 3-D model with printed graphics? What about layering prints to make a unique display? Have you thought about expanding the use of your printer to attain more capabilities?

This book gives you a unique perspective on how to change the final appearance of an ordinary inkjet print.

The artists of Digital Atelier (including Bonny Pierce Lhotka, mentioned above) have really gone in depth in creating a vast array of projects to help printmakers think “outside of the box”.

If you want to let your creativity shine, take a look at this one!

Purchase here: Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials