Final answer:
A matrix is the surface on which a design is prepared before being transferred through pressure to another surface in printmaking. This can be a plate, stone, woodblock, or a screen, used in planar, relief, or silkscreen printing techniques respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
A surface on which a design is prepared before being transferred through pressure to another surface is commonly referred to as a matrix in printmaking.
This matrix can be a metal plate, a stone, a block of wood, or a screen, depending on the printmaking technique used. In planar printing, such as lithography and monoprinting, the matrix is flat and the design is created on its surface before being transferred to paper or fabric.
Relief printing, such as woodcuts or linocuts, involves carving away parts of the matrix that are not intended to hold ink, leaving a raised design that is then inked and pressed onto a surface. Finally, in silkscreen printing, a stencil is used on a screen to block off areas that will not receive ink, and the ink is pressed through the screen onto the material.
One of the detailed examples of planar printing is lithography, where a design is first drawn on a smooth stone or metal plate. The acid eats around the resin powder creating a varied surface, and ink is pressed into the recesses made by the acid. After wiping the surface clean, paper is pressed onto the plate to transfer the image. Similarly, in silkscreen printing, a mesh supports an ink-blocking stencil, and the ink is forced through the open areas onto the substrate.