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      The printing of the plates: reduction printing

      I can create a reduction printing plate and print with ink

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      Lesson 4 of 6
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      • Year 8

      The printing of the plates: reduction printing

      I can create a reduction printing plate and print with ink

      Lesson details

      Key learning points

      1. Printing a plate requires a thick layer of ink. If it is too wet the design will be lost.
      2. The process for printing a plate is add ink, apply pressure and reveal.
      3. The print process is trial and error. Several prints need to be taken to refine the process.

      Keywords

      • Reduction print - a printmaking technique where the plate is carved between each layer, reducing the printing surface with each stage

      • Opaque - being impenetrable to light, the opposite of transparent; in printmaking, it describes inks that completely cover underlying layers without allowing previous colours to show through

      Common misconception

      Once ink is applied to the plate, the design is fixed and cannot be changed.

      The printing process is about trying and adjusting. Artists can refine their design through trial and error, removing layers of ink or adding new ones to adjust their composition. It’s important to approach the process with flexibility and patience.

      This lesson could be achieved using poly tiles, as shown, or lino cut. Images of maps have been provided in the Additional Materials; however, selecting your own image might give an opportunity to addpt to your local context.
      Teacher tip

      Equipment

      Paper, tracing paper, masking tape, pens and pencils, printing ink, roller, paper.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

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      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which is the most accurate statement to define printmaking?

      a method of painting on fabric
      Correct answer: a technique used to create multiple copies of an image
      a type of digital drawing
      a way of making sculptures

      Q2.
      Match the printmaking term to its definition.

      Correct Answer:plate,a surface that is carved or altered for printing
      Correct Answer:ink,the substance applied to the plate to create prints
      Correct Answer:roller,a tool used to spread ink evenly

      Q3.
      Reduction printmaking involves a plate between each layer to reduce the printing surface.

      Correct Answer: carve, indent, cutting, removing

      Q4.
      Which of these tools is not commonly used in printmaking?

      roller
      carving tools
      printing press
      Correct answer: cutting mat

      Q5.
      Which are the most likely reasons artists create multiple prints?

      because it’s impossible to make just one print
      Correct answer: to make sure they have enough copies to sell
      to use up wet ink before it drys
      Correct answer: to refine the process and improve quality

      Q6.
      What does a printing press do?

      It carves the design into the plate.
      It dries the ink faster.
      It mixes different colours of ink.
      Correct answer: It transfers ink from the plate to the paper.

      Assessment exit quiz

      Download quiz pdf

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      What is the key characteristic of a reduction print?

      It uses multiple colours without changing the plate.
      Correct answer: The plate is carved away after each print layer.
      The same plate is used for every print with no changes.
      Only one print can be made from the plate.

      Q2.
      Why must the ink be applied in thick, opaque layers?

      Correct answer: because thin layers do not show up on the paper
      Correct answer: so the design can be clearly seen and does not become transparent
      to allow it to dry faster
      to make the paper stronger
      to use up the inks

      Q3.
      If ink is too wet, the design will be lost because ink will get into the ...

      Correct Answer: indents, carved areas

      Q4.
      Why is trial and error important in the printmaking process?

      because artists want to make as many mistakes as possible
      Correct answer: because prints can be improved and the process perfected
      to make printing more expensive
      to waste materials

      Q5.
      Match the keyword to its definition.

      Correct Answer:reduction printing,carving the plate between each layer
      Correct Answer:opaque layer,ink that is solid and not see-through
      Correct Answer:trial and error,repeating the process to improve the print

      Lesson appears in

      UnitArt and design / Being curious about printing

      Art and design

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