As printmakers we handle and work into all kinds of substrates:  copper, zinc, aluminum, Plexiglas, PETG, PVC, linoleum, plywood, photopolymer-coated metals.  We alter these plates physically through gouging, sanding, carving, polishing, wetting and heating.  We alter them chemically through etching in different mordants, heating, cooling.  These alterations are at the core of our image making and each material provides a unique surface on which to make marks.  The way we manipulate the substrate also exposes us to a variety of health impacts.

We’ve divided the substrates into individual materials.  Each page provides information about how the substrate is used in printmaking, heath impacts, safety precautions and MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).  We’ve also included fun and interesting facts about the use of the material in printmaking.