Answer:
Lithography (lithos, "stone" and graphein, "writing") was developed in the late 18th century by Aloys Senefelder (1771-1834), a Bavarian playwright who sought an economical means of printing his plays. It is a method of printing from an image drawn on base, usually of special limestone, known as "lithographic stone". After drawing with greasy materials (pencil, stick, paste, etc.), the stone is treated with chemical solutions and water that fix the oily areas of the drawing on the surface. The impression of the image is obtained by means of a lithographic press that slides over the paper. The flexibility of the lithographic process allows different results depending on the materials used: instead of stone, plastic or metal sheets, particularly zinc, are increasingly used. The drawing, in turn, changes its face according to the use of pen, pencil or brush. Tests of color, texture, brightness and transparency give lithographs different aspects.
