In collography, how are textures created on the printing surface?

• A. By attaching materials of similar height to a surface
• B. By carving deep lines into a metal plate
• C. By applying watercolor washes to paper
• D. By using a hot wax resist on the printing surface

Answer: (A)

In collography, textures are built by attaching materials of similar height to a printing surface to form a relief. The glued pieces—the textures you choose like papers, fabrics, rope, sand, or found materials—create raised areas that pick up ink. When you ink the surface and press paper onto it, those raised textures transfer, producing a print with visible, tactile texture. This approach lets you control the feel and look of the surface by selecting and arranging different materials.

Carving deep lines into a metal plate is a method of intaglio, where ink sits in recessed lines rather than on a built-up textured surface. Applying watercolor washes to paper is painting on the paper itself and doesn’t create a textured printing matrix for a collage-like surface. Using a hot wax resist is a resist technique that can influence where ink prints, but it isn’t how textures are created in collography.