Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. The process is capable of producing multiple copies of the same piece, which is called a print. Each copy is known as an impression. Prints are created from a single original surface, known technically as a matrix.

Common types of matrices include: plates of metal, usually copper or zinc for engraving or etching; stone, used for lithography; blocks of wood for woodcuts. Each print is considered an original work of art, not a copy. Works printed from a single plate create an edition, in modern times usually each signed and numbered to form a limited edition.