Using paper in new and different ways to make prints became a hallmark of workshop production in the 1980s. These tours de force further tested the limits of the workshops where they were produced. In the 1990s, American printmaking workshops continued to emphasize technology and ingenuity. A new, younger generation of artists found fresh ways to combine photography and printmaking, while addressing topical issues, such as personal identity, that have captivated image makers over the last decade. Although printmaking today may not sustain the high levels of innovation of previous years, the creative energy of artists as printmakers, evidenced by the volume and quality of prints they are producing, remains strong.
Printmaking still thrives as a major art form with vast potential and an optimistic future.