A: So how is this color print made? I thought all printing was monochromatic.
B: This is relief printing, using a technique called reduction printmaking, which entails having one plate, engraving it, printing it, and then engraving it some more.
A: So it’s like a really big rubber stamp, carving it, charging it with ink and stamping it, and then carving another part, before putting an ink of a different color on it?
Photo: Tania Chou, Taipei Times 照片：台北時報周姲醇
B: That’s right. And relief printing is like “yang” engraving, while intaglio printing is like “yin” printing.
A: So reduction printmaking is an irreversible process: once you’ve carved away a part, it’s gone, and you can’t print it again.
B: Actually, all printing is an irreversible process, because the plate will get worn, and each time you print it, the engraving will become fainter. Even though you can print more than one copy, there is a limit to the number of copies you can make.
A: 這彩色的版畫是怎麼做出來的啊？我還以為版畫只有單色的。
B: 這是凸版畫，用的技巧叫做「單版複刻」，就是用同樣一個版，刻一些，印一些，再繼續刻。
A: 是不是就像面積很大的橡皮印章，刻掉一些，再沾印泥印，然後再刻一部分，再沾不同顏色的印泥？
B: 說得好！而且凸版畫就像印章的陽刻，凹版畫就是陰刻。
A: 那這樣「單版複刻」就是不可逆的過程，刻掉的部分沒了就是沒了，不能重印。
B: 其實印版畫都是不可逆的過程，因為版會磨損，印到後來就會變得比較模糊。所以雖然說版畫可以印不只一張，但數量是有限的。
(Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱)
Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
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