litograafial

Litograafia is a printing technique that relies on the immiscibility of oil and water. Invented by Alois Senefelder in 1798, it is a planographic method, meaning the printing surface is flat, unlike relief or intaglio printing. The process traditionally involves drawing an image onto a limestone slab with a greasy crayon or ink. Water is then applied to the stone, which is absorbed by the non-greasy areas. Next, oil-based ink is rolled onto the stone; it adheres only to the greasy image areas and repels from the wet, non-image areas. Paper is then pressed against the inked stone, transferring the image.

While limestone was the original material, modern lithography often uses metal plates, typically aluminum or polyester. This adaptation has made the process more accessible and versatile. Lithography allows for a wide range of artistic expression, from fine lines to broad washes of color, and is capable of reproducing subtle tonal variations. It has been used extensively in fine art printing, poster production, and commercial printing for its ability to create high-quality, detailed images. The term "lithography" itself derives from the Greek words "lithos" (stone) and "graphein" (to write).