Sacilotto, Deli. Photographic Printmaking Techniques by Deli Scilotto.

NY: Watson-Guptill, 1982. ISBN 0-8230-4006-2. 1st edition, 1st printing, hardcover, fine, with very good protected dust jacket with wear to extremities. [Includes color portfolio, history of photographic printmaking, camera work, photolithography, photo-etching, photo-screen techniques, unusual photographic print processes (carbon printing, cyanotype, Van Dyke Brown prints {a.k.a. Kallitype}, Kwik-Print, cliche-verre), formulas, sources of supplies, glossary, bibliography, index. Illustrations in color by Andy Warhol (dust jacket cover), James Rosenquist, C.J. Yao, Edward Ruscha, Ken Price, Richard Graf, Deli Sacilotto, John Cage, Joan Snyder, Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Saff. One of the best books published on this subject. Not to be confused with the 1987 reprint, this copy of the first edition is in better condition than most.]  Summary:

Photographic Printmaking Techniques by Deli Sacilotto is a comprehensive, technical guide that bridges the gap between traditional printmaking and photographic processes.

Key Technical Focus Areas

The book serves as a practical manual for artists and printmakers looking to transfer photographic images onto classic print mediums. It provides highly detailed, step-by-step instructions for mastering several core methods:

• Photogravure: Covering the intricate process of transferring a photographic image onto a copper plate using light-sensitive gelatin tissue, which is then etched and printed on an intaglio press.

• Photo-Etching: Guiding readers through applying light-sensitive photoresists to metal plates to etch photographic imagery.

• Photolithography: Detailing how to expose photographic negatives onto sensitized stone or aluminum plates for lithographic printing.

• Photo-Screen Printing: Instruction on using photographic emulsions and stencils to block out silkscreens for precise image duplication.

• Alternative & Historical Processes: Introducing various unusual and hybrid photographic chemistry techniques used to create unique visual textures.

Book Structure and Approach

• Practical Manual: Rather than focusing purely on art history or theory, Sacilotto emphasizes darkroom chemistry, equipment setup, exposure times, and troubleshooting workshop errors.

• Visual Guides: The text is heavily supplemented with both black-and-white and color illustrations that demonstrate the unique visual characteristics and textures yielded by each process.

Significance: Sacilotto’s manual remains a definitive resource for fine-art printmakers, widely recognized for demystifying complex chemical photo-mechanical processes and making them accessible for studio practice.