Woodburytype print

 Woodburytype print

 

Woodburytype is a photomechanical printing process that was widely used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to reproduce photographs with exceptional detail and tonal range. It involves creating a relief mold from an original photographic image. A gelatin relief plate is created by exposing a sensitized gelatin layer to a positive transparency and then hardening it. The plate is then inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the ink and creating the print. Woodburytype prints are known for their continuous tone appearance, resembling photographs with soft, subtle gradations. Each print is labor-intensive, requiring a separate mold for each individual print. Although it has been largely replaced by modern printing methods, Woodburytype remains a significant historical technique in the evolution of photographic reproduction.