Following your bliss is not self-indulgent, but vital; your whole physical system knows that this is the way to be alive in this world and the way to give to the world the very best that you have to offer. There IS a track just waiting for each of us and once on it, doors will open that were not open before and would not open for anyone else. - Joseph Campell

Monday, December 17, 2012

What is lithography exactly?

When I was reading about today's spotlight artist, Franz Xaver Winterhalter, he was referred to as a lithographer.  I had some idea of what that was, but really wasn't sure.  I looked it up, and eHow had a great video series explaining the process.

A lithograph is a print made by drawing on limestone with wax crayons, applying ink onto the stone and printing the image onto paper.

Making lithographs video


I wanted to include a lithograph example by Winterhalter.  The Winterhalter Catalogue says that very few of his lithographic works have survived.  Sad.

Mythological Scene by Franz Xavier Winterhalter



Coincidentally, a character in a book I was just reading was doing woodcutting, which they mentioned in the video.  Woodcutting seems almost mathematical to me, truly an impressive art form.

Albrecht Durer is the artist that immediately comes to mind when I think of woodcutting.  I just had to post one of his pieces.  This is probably not the obvious rhinoceros choice to post, but I saw it and loved it.

Nodo Vinciano (which translates to Node Supper or Knot Supper) by Albrecht Durer



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