About lithography
Commonly regarded as the most difficult printmaking method to learn and master, lithography was invented in Germany in 1796. The technique involves drawing directly on flat stone with an oil-based implement, then coating the stone with a water-based liquid. The applied marks repel the liquid, so that when oil-based ink is applied to the stone it fills in the image, allowing it to be transferred onto a sheet. Since the 19th century, lithography has been widely used by commercial and fine artists as a means to mass-produce images, maps, and texts.
