The nature of artistic collaboration: (with particular reference to fine art printmaking)

The paper studies the nature of artistic collaboration, concentrating on Fine Art Printmaking and the notions of illustration, visualisation and interpretation. The paper also explores the visual transformation of printmaking through the use of digital technology and the impact that digital technologies have had upon the nature of collaboration. Classically painters and sculptors have worked with collaborative printmakers in order to make graphic reproductions of their work. The collaborative printmakers used their technical craft and skills to create corresponding images to the given briefs, producing editions of prints. Alongside this type of collaborative printmaking there are other ways in which collaborative printmaking has been undertaken, for instance illustration of written narratives, novels and poetry. Examples of printmaking that illustrate an idea are numerous throughout the history of art (and science) and have had a bearing on technological innovation. The paper explores the boundaries of such collaboration and recognizes that the role has always been multi-faceted, ambiguous in terms of issues of authorship and due recognition.. The latter involves the area of visualisation, which amongst other things attempts to convey complex scientific data, phenomena, ideas, and insights that may stretch beyond the still print into digital animation. The paper also proposes that it is possible to show that the techniques applied in the emergence of digital technologies are generally an emulation or development of the traditional techniques used to create the printed image. The printed image, is everywhere in contemporary culture and is frequently mediated by computer technology.