What is a lithograph?

• A. A method of sculpture.
• B. A watercolor on paper.
• C. A printmaking technique using a flat stone or metal plate.
• D. A digital printing process.

Answer: (C)

Lithography is a printmaking method that relies on the oil-and-water principle on a flat surface, usually a stone or metal plate. The artist draws with a greasy material on the surface, and because grease repels water, the dampened non-image areas stay ink-free while the drawn areas attract and hold ink. When paper is pressed onto the surface, the ink transfers, creating a print. The plate can be reused to make many copies, which is a defining feature of printmaking. It was invented in the late 18th century by Alois Senefelder and became a versatile way to produce multiple images.

This isn’t sculpture, which creates three-dimensional forms. It isn’t a watercolor on paper, which is a painting technique using pigments suspended in water. And it isn’t a digital printing process, which relies on electronic files and printers rather than a prepared plate or stone for inking.