Lithography

Stone lithography is a printing process that allows an artist to work using traditional techniques, and to create prints that rival a painting in terms of detail, mood, variation etc. It reached its height of popularity during the 1800s, and was one of the first methods for colour poster printing at this time, but it is still practised today by artists and lithography workshops. It is the closest form of printing to drawing, allowing artists to make soft drawn marks and also experimental reticulated marks with the unique tusche material.

Stone lithography was discovered around 1798 by Alois Senefelder in Germany. Stones were used in the commercial printing industry until the mid 20th century when they were supplanted by the ball grained plate and then the photoplate lithograph. The technique has survived in the UK due to the small number of open access print workshops, artisan printers and educators.

The process of lithography uses a flat limestone on which the image areas is created using a greasy substance that the ink will adhere to, while the non-image areas remain ink-repellent.

The image is drawn on a smooth, level limestone plate using grease-based lithographic crayons and water tusche washes. When the drawing is complete, the stone is chemically processed to create two opposing areas; the image area becomes grease loving and the non-image area becomes water loving.

During printing, the stone is kept continuously damped with water as the image is inked. The stone and paper are run through a press that applies uniform pressure to transfer the ink onto the paper.

Techniques in stone lithography include:

• Stone graining, chemical processing and printing
• Paper preparation, print finishing, curation of editioned prints
• Service and maintenance of machinery
• Texture transfers
• Negative working processes
• Solvent tusche washes
• Reversals
• Engraving
• Drawn image and wash transfers
• Egg albumen (making a light sensitive coating to expose photographic imagery)

• Availability of raw materials: This is a key risk factor for the craft. There are no longer any lithographic stones being excavated and so all crafts people rely on old stones that are reused. Lithographic drawing materials are imported from the USA or Europe and have become very expensive and in short supply.
• Training issues: Whilst training is being effectively disseminated by master printmakers in the UK, the highest level of training is primarily provided by the Tamarind Institute in New Mexico.
• Skills issues: Whilst there are many University and Open Access print rooms in the UK, a limited number of them have lithography equipment and/ or a technical instructor who is knowledgeable about the processes in lithography. It is not uncommon to have one technician only in these printmaking spaces, and most technicians specialise in one process. Without in depth technical support, the student is often left with more questions than answers. Lithography is a process that whilst simple in principle, is very technically complex, and if the student doesn’t have access to this support then abandons litho altogether and steps into another print process that the technician can assist them with.

• Royal Society of Painter Printmakers
• Printmakers Council
• V&A prints and drawing room
• Ashmolean Print Collection
• British Museum Print Collection

International organisations

• Tamarind Institute (New Mexico, USA)
• Internationale Senefelder Stiftung (Offenbach, Germany).

Degree and post-graduate study

Universities with print studios and facilities:

• University of Central Lancashire: Artlab Contemporary Print Studios
• Glasgow School of Art
• Aberystwyth University School of Art
• UAL Camberwell College of Arts
• Royal College of Art
• UWE Bristol

Independent open access print studios:

• Edinburgh Printmakers
• Leicester Print Workshop
• Curwen Print Study Centre
• The Lemonade Press

International Training 

The Tamarind Institute of Lithography, USA

Printers listed in this category will be those who provide expertise and work collaboratively with artists to produce lithographs.

• Paul Croft – Tamarind Master printer and senior lecturer at Aberystwyth University
• Lee Turner – Tamarind trained master printer and owner of Hole Editions in Newcastle. Hole Editions, collaborates with artists
• Simon Burder – Oaks Editions
• Catherine Ade – Founder of the Lemonade Press the only print studio in the South dedicated to lithography. Offering collaborative printing and artist residencies.
• Stephanie Turnbull – Professional Tamarind Printer based at the Lemonade Press in Bristol
• Thomas Cert –Norwich University of the Arts
• Phil Bowden – University of the West of England (UWE)
• Ginny Wade – Aberystwyth Printmakers
• Serena Smith – Leicester Print Workshop
• Curwen Print Study Centre
• Jemma Gunning
• Alastair Clark – Edinburgh Printmakers
• Sue Baker Kenton
• Robin Smart – Red Breast Editions
• SooMin Leong – Paupers Press
• Scarlett Rebecca – teaches stone lithography at Draw Brighton and her studio in Wales.
• Veronica Calarco – Stiwdio Maelor, North Wales. Runs a residency programme for artists, including providing a stone lithography studio and courses
• Sharon Lee – Royal College of Art specialist lithography technician, mainly supporting students with stone and plate lithography. Trained at Tamarind Institute.
• Paul Sharrock – Designermakers21
• David Borrington – Dekkle Printmaking Studios
• Ian Wilkinson – Goldmark Atelier

• Stanley Jones MBE – considered a lithography ‘National Treasure’ who acts as an adviser and figurehead for the subject
• Paul Croft
• Lee Turner
• Simon Burder
• Catherine Ade
• Stephanie Turnbull
• Thomas Cert – is a trained Tamarind Master Printer, currently working as a full time Printmaking Technician at Kingston University instructing students in all forms of print
• Michael Gill
• Laura Bianchi
• Serena Smith
• Curwen Print Study Centre
• Jemma Gunning
• Alastair Clark, Edinburgh Printmakers
• Rachel Gracey
• Sue Baker
• Kenton and Serena Smith
• Robin Smart – Red Breast Editions
• SooMin Leong – teaches stone lithography at Morley College and Slaughterhaus Print Studio
• Scarlett Rebecca – teaches stone lithography at Draw Brighton and her studio in Wales.
• Veronica Calarco – Stiwdio Maelor, North Wales.  Runs a residency programme for artists, including providing a stone lithography studio and courses
• Sharon Lee – Royal College of Art specialist lithography technician, mainly supporting students with stone and plate lithography. Trained at Tamarind Institute.
• Paul Sharrock – Designermakers21
• David Borrington – Dekkle Printmaking Studios, Baldock, has stone lithography facilities.
• Ian Wilkinson – Goldmark Atelier, Uppingham, has stone lithography facilities.

There are many UK artists and printmakers using lithography in their work at a highly skilled level. However, the craft of lithography as practised by highly trained master printers is at risk. Most of these printmakers will have been trained at the Tamarind Institute in the US.

Our thanks go to our 2025 reviewers:

• Catherine Ade, The Lemonade Press
• Simon Burder
• Grace Hailstone

We consult with a wide range of practitioners and organisations to review and update the Red List. Some choose to remain anonymous but all feedback is taken into account.

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