Proof of Process

What Is a Print, Anyway?

Notes from Griffiths' Prints and Printmaking

By Kandice Fields, Crowstone Press

Welcome to Proof of Process

A printmaking journal from Crowstone Press—where history, technique, and creativity collide.

This is the first post in a new series I’m calling Proof of Process—a space for me to chase curiosity, challenge myself, and document the hands-on, ink-covered journey of learning through print. From reading foundational texts and recreating historical techniques to experimenting with tools and thoughts, this is a personal (and sometimes nerdy) dive into what it means to be a printmaker, both today and in the echo of tradition.

Let’s just start with the big one:

What is a print? And why is it that some of the best, most brilliant works by world-renowned artists are prints—and yet, prints remain one of the most misunderstood mediums in the art world?

Here’s what a print is not: it’s not a Xerox. It’s not a copy. It’s not a product of some automated machine. This is not “press button, receive image.” This is art. A print is a pictorial image that exists because of process. It’s the ink. The paper. The plate. The press. The weird tools. The ritual of making, the repetition, the decisions made by hand, heart, and head.

And for that? I say—viva la difference.

What made me fall in love with printmaking was that tension, that complexity—the way it reaches out to the masses through multiples, while still holding tight to its identity as a fully original, handcrafted work. Yes, multiplicity is part of the magic. But it’s also what throws people off.

“Wait… how can this be original if there are 50?”

“Doesn’t that cheapen the work?”

“Why would I buy a print when I could have a *real* artwork?”

(Insert sigh here.)

This is where the confusion begins and where the snobbery sets in. But here’s what I want to say—loudly, passionately, and with ink-stained fingers: —- A print is not less than. It is a different kind of powerful.

Printmaking has always been about communication. It's always had this wild mix of personal expression and public reach. From early woodcuts to political posters to artist’s books and photo-etchings, prints have told stories—our stories—and kept them alive. And yes, we printmakers? We are the nerdy mad scientists of the art world. We don’t mind repetition. We’re not afraid of process. We lean into it. We live for it.

Honestly, we love sharing what we do—whether that’s pulling a perfect impression, experimenting with a new chemical process, or geeking out over 15th-century engraving tools. Our medium has always been about sharing. That’s the legacy. That’s the beauty. And that’s what I’m here for.

Even when photography came on the scene and rattled the world of reproduction, printmakers didn’t flinch. We adapted. We messed with photochemical processes and made them our own. Today, we use photography software to build guides for plates we’ll hand-develop and ink by hand. We take what's new and smash it together with what's centuries old—and still, it comes out as something personal and completely original.

So what is this blog series?

It’s a space where I’m working out my own print history gaps—through experimentation, study, and maybe a little bit of historical reenactment (minus the powdered wigs… for now). It’s for those who are curious, confused, excited, or skeptical. It’s for you.

And a huge, heartfelt shoutout to my friends over at Platemark Podcast for lighting the fire and reminding me why this community matters. If you don’t know them—seriously, what are you doing? Go! Go now!

Until next time—ink on, my friends.