Lena Rivera
Andy Warhol is recognised as one of the foremost American artists of the twentieth century. His brightly coloured portraits of celebrities and images of mass-produced consumer goods are easily identified by viewers worldwide. Warhol's key concept as an artist was the industrialisation of art, and he is known for his use of screen printing, or silkscreen printing, to reproduce images. This mechanical method of printing allowed him to mass-produce art, and he used a combination of individual and corporate printers, as well as his own facilities, to do so. So, how did Warhol scan his paintings for screens?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Printing technique | Silk-screen printing |
| Printing process | Warhol would pick a photograph, blow it up, transfer it in glue onto silk, and then roll ink across it so the ink goes through the silk but not through the glue |
| Printing tools | Ink-laden squeegee |
| Printing style | Warhol wanted his art to look mass-produced and machine-like |
| Printing period | 1962-1987 |
| Printing mediums | Video, Sculpture, Photo Engraving |
| Printing subjects | Celebrities, consumer goods, flowers, soup cans, airline tickets |
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What You'll Learn
Warhol's silkscreen printing technique
Andy Warhol's obsession with reproduced images and his desire to be a machine are well-known. His use of mechanical methods and assistants to produce high art changed the course of art history. Warhol's key concept as an artist was the "industrialization" of art. He achieved this through screen printing, a process of duplication that allowed him to reproduce images from popular culture.
Warhol was introduced to the silkscreen printing technique in the 1950s by artist Max Arthur Cohn. This technique had previously only been used in commercial packaging and advertising. He started using the silkscreen printing technique in 1962, with his grid-like paintings of dollar bills being his earliest attempts. He used hand-cut silk screens and photo silk screens to make paintings.
Warhol's process involved selecting a photograph, blowing it up, and transferring it in glue onto silk. He would then roll ink across it, allowing the ink to pass through the silk but not the glue. This resulted in the same image, with slight variations each time. He often combined this technique with lithographs, watercolours, and underpainting to create books and paintings.
As Warhol refined his technique, he added layers of drawing to the original photograph, as seen in his 1972 Mao portraits and 1983 Love and Endangered Species series. He also introduced diamond dust to his silkscreen prints in 1972, playing with the surface of the work and highlighting his obsession with superficiality.
Warhol worked with professionals to transfer photographs onto the mesh of a silk screen. He would then pass an ink-laden squeegee over the mesh, allowing the ink to pass through and impress a print onto the canvas. The areas of the mesh treated with glue would block the paint from reaching the canvas, creating the desired image.
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Using photographs as the basis for prints
Andy Warhol is one of the most celebrated artists to work with print. His obsession with the reproduced image and his use of mechanical methods to produce high art changed the course of art history. Warhol's key concept as an artist was the "industrialization" of art. Screen printing was a process of duplication that matched Warhol's sensibilities.
Warhol's most notable style was photographic silkscreen printing, a commercial process that allowed him to easily reproduce images appropriated from popular culture. In 1962, Warhol began using silk-screen printing to reproduce images, his first subject being dollar bills. He would use screen printing from 1962 to 1987.
Warhol soon learned that it was possible to use photographs as the basis for a silk-screen print, and the resulting image was much sharper and therefore to his liking. He worked with professionals to have the photos he chose transferred onto the mesh of a silk screen. When he passed an ink-laden squeegee over the mesh, ink would pass through the mesh and impress a print of his image onto the canvas.
Warhol would select an image, blow it up, transfer it in glue onto silk, and then roll ink across it so the ink went through the silk but not through the glue. This allowed him to get the same image, with slight differences each time. He would also add layers of drawing to the original photograph.
Warhol's process of using photographs as the basis for prints was also used in his Campbell's Soup Box series. When he produced the original Campbell's paintings in the 1960s, they were seen as powerful statements about the boring repetition of advertising. His later works in this series, such as Campbell's Soup Box 1985, combined photographic print with hand-drawn elements.
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The process of underpainting
Andy Warhol is recognised as one of the foremost American artists of the twentieth century. He is known for his brightly coloured portraits of celebrities and images of mass-produced consumer goods. Warhol's key concept as an artist was the "industrialisation" of art. He wanted to be a machine and embraced mechanical methods to produce his art.
Warhol's process of underpainting is a testament to his machine-like approach to art. Underpainting refers to the process of lining up the image on the screen to the underpainting and/or colour separations for a multilayer print. Before starting to underpaint, Warhol kept the film positive handy so he knew which areas would be printed and which would not. The areas that are black on the film positive will print with the colour ink chosen. This knowledge helped him decide which areas to paint.
Warhol made sure not to leave any lumps of paint on the surface as a smooth painted surface is easier to print on. Once the paint was dry, he was ready to print. He used a squeegee to pull the ink across the silkscreen. The final photographic layer was printed in black on top of the underpainting.
Warhol's process of underpainting allowed him to mass-produce a large number of prints with relative ease. He developed his own technique by combining hand-painted backgrounds with photographic silkscreen-printed images to create unique works of art.
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Using assistants to mass-produce works
Andy Warhol is recognised as one of the foremost American artists of the twentieth century. His brightly coloured portraits of celebrities and images of mass-produced consumer goods—painted and printed in a broad haphazard style—are easily identified by viewers worldwide. Warhol's key concept as an artist was the "industrialisation" of art. Screen printing was a process of duplication that matched Warhol's sensibilities.
Warhol's obsession with the reproduced image and his use of mechanical methods, as well as numerous assistants, to produce high art would change the course of art history forever. Warhol's Liz #1 (Early Coloured Liz) illustrates his process as a painter. Materially, the artwork consists of acrylic paint and silk-screen ink on canvas. We see a flat yellow background surrounding a spotty yet recognisable image of Elizabeth Taylor, the actress and celebrity, who, like Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, repeatedly served as Warhol's subject.
Warhol worked with professionals to have the photos he chose transferred onto the mesh of a silk screen. When Warhol passed an ink-laden squeegee over the mesh as the silk screen sat atop his canvas, ink would pass through the mesh and impress a print of his image onto the canvas. Areas of the mesh where a layer of glue has been applied—in Warhol's case, the "negative" space of the photos he selected—prevent paint from passing through to the canvas. Observing the grainier areas of Liz's hair, it's clear that Warhol first applied the yellow paint before adding the layer of black ink that comprises her face. Her intense red lips and eye shadow were also applied during separate passes of the squeegee.
Warhol's process of underpainting before adding the final photographic silkscreen print allowed him and his assistants to mass-produce a large number of prints with relative ease. After the image was exposed and the screen was prepared for printing, it was returned to The Factory, Warhol's New York City studio. The photographic silkscreen printing process created a precise and defined image. While the flowers originate from realistic photographs, Warhol altered his versions of the flowers by flattening, cropping, and increasing the image's contrast, then painting them using vivid colours.
Warhol's series of portraits of Marilyn Monroe includes some of the earliest works the artist made in this manner, first exhibited in November 1962, three months after the actress's suicide. The artist transferred an enlarged publicity photograph of Monroe onto a fine-meshed fabric screen and printed it in ink on canvas or on paper. Then, he overlaid the portrait with patches of contrasting colours, printed in pastel shades to produce an artificial, mask-like effect.
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The 'Sandwich Critique' technique
The Sandwich Critique technique is a method of providing feedback on a work of art, specifically screen prints, in a way that is constructive and positive. This technique is particularly associated with the renowned Pop artist Andy Warhol, who was known for his use of screen printing and silkscreening techniques in his art.
The Sandwich Critique gets its name from the structure of the feedback, which follows a specific sequence:
- Bread: Begin with a compliment about the artwork. This could be related to the composition, use of colour, or any unique or interesting elements that stand out. For example, one might praise the bold colour choices or the effective use of contrast to create a striking image.
- Meat: This is where the critique provides constructive criticism, offering suggestions for improvement or pointing out areas that could be refined. For instance, in the case of Warhol's screen prints, feedback might include suggestions for improving the registration of the image or advice on avoiding lumps of paint that could interfere with the final print layer.
- Bread: Finish with another compliment, focusing on a different aspect of the artwork that was successful or well-executed. This could be related to the subject matter, the overall impact of the piece, or the technical skill demonstrated by the artist.
By using this approach, the critic provides a balanced assessment of the artwork, offering both praise and constructive feedback. This technique is particularly useful when critiquing the work of emerging artists, as it helps to boost their confidence while also giving them guidance for future improvement.
Warhol himself was known for his unique approach to art, often combining mechanical reproduction techniques with traditional artistic processes. He embraced the "industrialization" of art and was fascinated by the idea of becoming a machine-like entity in his artistic practice. This is evident in his use of silk-screen printing, which allowed him to reproduce images repeatedly onto a single canvas, creating a mass-produced, machine-made aesthetic.
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Frequently asked questions
Warhol used a variety of mediums to produce art, including silk screen printing. He was introduced to the technique by artist Max Arthur Cohn in the 1950s. Warhol would select a photograph, blow it up, transfer it in glue onto silk, and then roll ink across it. This allowed the ink to pass through the silk but not the glue, creating a precise and defined image.
Warhol was fascinated by the opportunities the printing process afforded in terms of making his art accessible to a wider audience. He also liked the idea of being a machine, and the mass-produced, mechanical look that silk screen printing offered.
Warhol's Marilyn Monroe prints from 1962 are some of his earliest and most famous examples of silk screen printing. He also used the technique for his portraits of Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Mao.
Yes, Warhol used a photostat machine and a Xerox machine to create photographic prints and copies of his drawings. He also experimented with underpainting and photographic silkscreen printing, combining hand-painted backgrounds with photographic silkscreen printed images.
