Old Mushroom Illustrations

Contents: Relief print | Watercolor painting | Lithography | Chromolithography

Three printing methods were used for this collection of mushroom and fungi illustrations.

Relief print

Relief printring is one of the oldest and most well-known forms of printmaking. It is a type of printmaking technique where the image is created by carving or cutting away parts of a surface, leaving the raised areas to hold ink that is then transferred onto paper, fabric, or other materials. In relief printing, the parts of the printing surface that remain raised are inked and pressed onto the material to create an image. The areas that are carved away don’t print, creating a contrast between the printed and non-printed areas. In this case, a woodblock was used to create the mushroom illustrations in “The herball”.

Watercolor painting

Watercolor painting is a painting technique in which pigments are mixed with water and applied to paper or other absorbent surfaces. The primary characteristic of watercolor is its translucency, as the pigments are diluted with water, allowing light to pass through and reflect off the paper, creating a luminous, airy effect. The watercolors featured in this collection were painted by Ellen Arabella Whinfield (born Woburn 11/13/1822, died 12/15/1912). She was 13 when she began the “Botanical Watercolours” albums. For more information, check IUCAT Botanical Watercolours by Ellen Arabella Whinfield.

Lithography

Lithography is a printmaking technique that involves creating an image on a flat surface, typically a stone or metal plate, with a greasy substance (such as a wax or ink) that will accept ink, while the non-image areas are treated to repel it. The term “lithography” comes from the Greek words lithos (stone) and graphia (writing or drawing), as the technique was originally developed using limestone.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography is a specific form of lithography that involves creating multicolored prints. Unlike regular lithography, which typically uses one or two colors, chromolithography uses multiple layers of colored inks to produce vibrant, full-color images.