Lithography (also see off-set lithography)

A mechanical planographic print (not to be confused with an offset lithography) in which the printing and non-printing areas of the plate are on the same plane, pulled on a special flat stone, or metal press using a chemically synthesized plate which repels the ink from non image areas. Designs are drawn with or painted with a greasy ink or crayon on a specially prepared limestone. The stone is moistened with water, which the stone accepts in the areas not covered by crayon. An oily ink is then applied with a roller which only adheres to the drawing and is repelled by the moistened areas of the stone. The print is made by pressing paper against the ink drawing. For multi- color images, Lithography was invented by Alois Senefelder in 1798, Ssolnhiolfen, Germany.

The early history of lithography is dominated by French artists like Daumier, Delacroix and later Degas, Toulouse-Latrec, Picasso, Braque and Miro.