What Is a Serio Lithograph?
Lithography’s History Lithography was invented in Germany in the late 1700s by Alois Senefelder, a writer who sought a way to print his own works. The technique quickly grew to prominence with artists in Paris as an effective way to create multiple copies of posters advertising various entertainment venues. Making a Lithograph To create lithographs, artists use special water-resistant drawing tools, most often litho chalks (also known as litho crayons), as well as litho pens and even brushes for use with melted litho ink. With these tools the artists (also called lithographers) draw or paint directly onto a special plate—limestone or sheets of zinc or aluminum. After completing the drawing, they process the plate with chemicals, nitric acid, gum arabic and turpentine, to make the nonsketched areas repel ink, while the drawing itself attracts ink. Once the stone or sheet is processed, the artists cover it with ink and place a piece of paper over it. They then run it through a press to
