Relief prints are those in which the printmaker draws the design on the printing block's surface and cuts away blank areas. Planographic prints are imprinted from a flat surface. The most common distinctions are editions, proofs, and states. A proof is an impression that is in some way unfinished or incomplete. Over the centuries, various types of papers have been developed for printing, each creating its own specific effect.
Watermarks are useful in determining the age of paper and hence a print's authenticity.
It is also important to note the margins of the print. The margins of most prints made before 1800 have been trimmed to fit into albums or frames. In the 20th century, margins have become an integral element of the print, and impressions with intact margins almost always receive a premium.