Over time, lithograph prints have gone through a lot of transition. In the past, they were made by first drawing the image in something that would retain it such as wax or another type of substance that was oily.

Then, this was put on a stone that was then placed on the paper in an effort to transfer the image onto the paper using some sorts of inks. This was time consuming and the finished product didn’t last as long as those that are made today would endure.

It also involved having to realign the image over and over again in an effort to apply different shades of color or paints. This was a process that only those who had mastered the skill could do with great efficiency, and, those who couldn’t, were known to produce copies that weren’t very pleasing to the eye.

Today, lithograph prints can still be produced using smooth stones, but more often than not, the sheet used will be made of flexible aluminum. Inks have come a long way since the days they were made from dyes. For one thing, dyes break down rather easily, and over time, they fade and lose their strength.

When working to make lithograph prints, water is used to separate the image which is done in something that doesn’t mix with water such as oil based paints. This allows the image, or the positive, to be transferred while nothing else is transferred in the process.

Basically, the water washes away anything that isn’t being adhered to with the oil based substance which is often referred to as the negative. This leaves a clean image behind.

Anyone can see lithograph prints in many forms these days, such as posters, newspapers, packaging, maps and many other things. Nearly anything that needs to be reproduced on a surface that is flattened can be done with this method of image copy. One place that someone can see the offset type of this reproduction used is in the bookmaking industry.

Over the years, lithograph prints gained popularity. As a matter of fact, many of the painters that everyone has heard of, such as Pablo Picasso and George Bellow to name just two, produced most of their reproduced works in this fashion. The rise in acceptance of this type of reproduction had everything to do with the changing technologies that allowed it to advance more and more with each coming year.

Today, this is an accepted type of reproduction with painters and their licensed agents. One will find many of these types of reproductions in art galleries and museums all over the country and all over the world.

Because the quality has increased along with the know-how, of course, so has the value of these types of copies. A reproduction that is signed, dated, and numbered by the painter or licensed agent can sometimes bring really high prices when sold at auction or appraised for a collector. When the value increases, then everyone knows that the quality has to be superlative to other mediums.

Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee , lithograph prints and custom framing.

Please visit us at http://www.betzgallery.com/ for all your Art Decor needs.

Author Bio: Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee , lithograph prints and custom framing.

Category: Culture
Keywords: lithograph prints, military prints, reproductions, art gallery on line, giclee, prints on canvas