Snob Words: Making Sense of Words You Wish You Knew, But Don't



Snob words are lexical aristocrats, highfalutin' words and phrases--often derived from foreign languages--that never appear on sixth-grade spelling tests. They're words you don't know, but feel you should know.

And because you don't know them, you often feel excluded.

For example, when Architectural Digest reveals that the actress of the moment has just installed an étagère in her pied-á-terre--and you're left racing to find a French dictionary app--you're a victim of snob words. Those fortunate enough to know the terms are in on the secret, while you're left standing behind the red velvet rope.

This blog is an attempt to demystify snob words, which show up frequently in publications that cater to well educated, upscale readers.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

screenprint

     A screenprint, as its name implies, is a print made by forcing paint through a mesh screen stretched over a wooden frame.  The process is also referred to as silkscreen printing, since early screens were made exclusively of silk.  Today, screens are also made of cotton, nylon, and metal.
     To produce a screenprint, the artist applies varnish or wax to the screen wherever he or she does not want the paint to pass through (the negative).  The screen is then placed over a piece of paper and paint is forced through the unvarnished or unwaxed areas of the mesh with a rubber blade, creating the design.
     Screenprinting was invented around 1900, but did not become widely used as a fine art medium until the Pop artists took it up in the 1960s.  Andy Warhol’s prints of Campbell’s soup cans are some of the most famous (and valuable) screenprints ever created.
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