Prints are works of art created from a master matrix, a surface that contains information about the final image and holds ink. The surface of the matrix transfers the ink to the final printing surface, usually paper but sometimes other materials, via a printing press or by applying pressure by hand. Except in the case of monoprints, which are unique works of art and only printed once, prints are most often made in a group of identical multiples, referred to as an edition. Since the beginning of printmaking around 1400, prints have served as a crucial way of widely disseminating images. In the twenty-first century, prints are often more affordable than unique works like paintings and allow a large number of collectors to own the work of artists.

Many different types of printmaking exist; all require skill and experience to produce high-quality works. Intaglio printmaking encompasses a large number of techniques, including etching, aquatint, drypoint, engraving, and spit bite. For all types of intaglio printmaking, the image is incised into the surface of a plate, sometimes with the aid of acid. To print from an intaglio plate, ink is forced into the incisions and wiped off the surface of the plate. Conversely, in relief prints, the image area is on the surface of the block and the negative space is carved away. The most common materials for making relief blocks are wood and linoleum. Richard Bosman, Mel Chin, and Susan Rothenberg all create relief prints using wood blocks. Some artists, like Judy Pfaff and Trisha Brown, combine intaglio and relief printmaking within a single print. Other printmaking methods include lithography, silkscreen, and digital printing. The advent of technology in the twenty-first century has made innovative techniques, used by the likes of Takashi Murakami and Daniel Temkin, possible.