Practicing possibilities and education of lithography as a language of visual expression

Having been examined in general, art history includes a great deal oftechniques of authentic press. The field of authentic press contributes much to arteducation in terms of technique, design, and application process.The art of authentic press provides the artist a variety of multi-dimensionalforms of expression through rich technical opportunities, and various materials andmethods. Each technique provides plenty of opportunities. The abundance of theseopportunities has helped remarkable artists create their works of art in this frame andreproduce their artistic products in time. In this respect, most of the great artists,whose names are mentioned very often, have used these techniques as the visualform of oral speech. Though the art of authentic press has a traditional structure, ithas still respect among other fields of art.Teaching the techniques of authentic press provides the individual to displayhis/her abilities and to improve his/her creativity.Among these techniques, lithography is of vital importance. Both havingindustrial use and artistic value, the lithography technique is one step further than theother techniques of authentic press.We can easily perceive the teaching of the techniques of authentic press in thecurriculum of higher education programs that submit visual arts education. However,most of these programs offer only the techniques of engraving, woodcut and linocut.There are hardly any universities or private studios/workshops that providelithography education.This study aims at pointing out the significance of lithography in arteducation and in what ways the technique can be applied, delivering how thistechnique has evolved and improved in time, and mentioning the rich potential ofexpressing and applying that the technique possesses. It has also been aimed in thisstudy to deliver how Turkey today offers opportunities in the field of authentic presseducation and to mention the names of great artist who produced works of art in thisfield.The study has been covered through document cross-hatching method. Thefactual data related to the development of lithography in history, opportunities for itsapplication, and its contribution to art education have been collected. Owing toqualitative characteristics that the study possesses, the method of descriptive analysishas been involved to analyze the data.It has been concluded that lithography technique should be applied bystudents of painting and students of graphics since lithography techniquecomplements other techniques of authentic press and, thus, becomes more beneficialto them. It is expected to comprehend the significance of techniques of authenticpress particularly in the departments of art and art education and to multiply thenumber of workshops/studios that still exist today.