masking

Masking, in the context of printing, refers to the use of paper to cover specific areas of a surface that should remain unpainted while other parts are being treated, such as with a spray gun. This technique is crucial in various printing processes, including linecut and halftone, where certain areas need to be protected from ink or etching.123

In printmaking, the main processes are relief, intaglio, and surface printing. Surface processes include planographic (like lithography) and stencil methods. Commercial reproduction often uses process-printing methods, but artists also adapt these for fine art. For instance, silk-screen printing, initially commercial, is now a popular fine art technique. Photomechanical processes are also integrated by many contemporary printmakers.3

Halftone printing is more advanced than linecut, capable of reproducing subtle tonal variations. It involves photographing the subject through a lined screen, breaking the image into tiny dots that create an illusion of continuous tones when printed. Linecut, on the other hand, is simpler and primarily used for black-and-white line drawings, as it cannot register tone directly.32