Dajo's Corner

Assignment:

Students will complete an edition of six monochromatic prints.

The subject matter is up to you but please develop an original composition with emphasis on value, texture and form.

Planning and preparing the Plate: Materials:

• Composition
• Aluminum plate
• Utility knife, shears and file for sizing the plate Counteretch solution and wipes -1/4 teaspoon citric acid to 10 ounces of hot water
• Conte crayon or transfer paper for transferring image to plate Gum for borders
• Korn's lithographic crayons #1,3 and 4

Process:

• Develop an original composition with emphasis on value and form
• Size the aluminum plate, round the corners and file any sharp edges.
• Counteretch the plate- to make sure that the plate is receptive to grease in the crayon it is necessary to counteretch the plate with the acidic solution (1/4 teaspoon of Citric Acid in 10 oz. of hot water) that is flowed over the plate, usually in a tray. Rinse the plate with water and quickly dry first with newsprint and then a fan. Slow drying can oxidize the plate. Do not touch the plate as the oil from your skin will damage the plate- fingerprints will show in the print.
• Brush on a thin coat of gum to create a border of at least 1 inch around your image area.
• Transfer the image to the plate - you can draw directly on the plate with your crayons or transfer the image using a non greasy medium such as the sanguine conte crayon as a transfer paper.
• Develop your drawing using the lithography crayons. You will primarily use the #3 (medium) crayons for most of the drawing and the #1 for very dark values and #4 for light values.
• Keep the plate covered with newsprint or plastic to prevent oxidation.

When your drawing is complete you are ready for the next step.

Processing the plate: Materials:

• Talc, brush and container
• 1st etch - % TAPEM to % Gum (see chart), brush or hand
• Damp sponge and Cheesecloth-to clean plate and 1 to buff
• Gum
• Lithotine
• Rags or Paper towels (soft)
• Asphaltum, fan
• Water, 2 bowls, 2 sponges, add 1 teaspoon of 50/50 gum to one bowl.
• Newsprint
• Ink - use the Shop Black lithographic ink and roller

Process:

Secure plate to flat surface (glass) with clamps or water under the plate.

1. TALC - gently dust drawing with talc, brushing off excess. Buff talc with soft cloth or paper towel. The talc helps the etch adhere to the drawing material and the plate.
2. ETCH DRAWING according to table below. Etch darkest values first. Move etch over appropriate area of drawing with brush for 1 - 3 minutes. Make sure etch also covers any open areas of drawing and meets borders.
   

   Drawing Materials	Light Values	Middle Values	Dark Values
   #5 Crayon	Straight Gom Arabic	Straight Gum Arabic	1:5
   #3 Crayon	1:5	1:4	1:3
   #1 Crayon	1:4	1:3	1:2

   
   

   1/4 TAPEM to 3/4 straight gum (1/3 to 2/3 for darker values) Pour 1/2 on plate and work over image area (dark areas) first with soft 2" utility brush or hand, pour rest over plate and work over whole plate for about 3 minutes.

   BUFF etch - First, wipe excess with a sponge and then buff tight with a dry cheesecloth. This forces the gum to lie close to each mark. Make sure there are no streaks. If solution becomes stiff add a little gum before buffing.

   Allow to sit 20 - 30 minutes. No longer.

   While waiting: Clean up and wash out cheese cloths and hang to dry. Prepare ink and roller. Use the Shop Black Mix ink.

3. NEW GUM LAYER - Apply new gum arabic to plate with brush.(about 30 seconds) Buff in very lightly with cheesecloth until surface is smooth.
4. LITHOTINE - Work in ventilated area. Wash drawing out with lithotine using a rag or soft paper towel. Do not rub; let the solvent do the work. Keep working lithotine over the surface until all the drawing is dissolved. (The rag or towel will not have any dark material left on it.) Fan lithotine dry.
5. ASPHALTUM - gently rub up the image with asphaltum and buff down with a rag or soft paper towel. The asphaltum provides the printing base that the ink will to stick to. Fan the asphaltum dry and let sit for a few minutes.
6. WASH OUT gum and asphaltum with water and paper towels until the asphaltum starts to lift. This will remove the dried gum, but not the molecular gum film on the non image areas. Not all the gum and asphaltum will lift right away but should lift when rolling up.
7. Roll Up. Immediately begin rolling black ink across the surface of the plate. In the beginning, roll pretty fast with medium pressure to pull up any excess asphaltum from the non-image areas. If the plate starts to dry out, wet it and roll some more. When most of the asphaltum has lifted from the non-image areas wet the plate and recharge the roller with fresh ink from the slab and begin rolling more slowly and lightly. Watch the delicate areas and make sure they have not filled in or that the greasy ink has not spread and blurred the image
   Sponge plate with water in between passesó plate should be kept damp at all times.
   Continue to alternate inking passes and water until image appears fully inked. Roll up image to desired black, the brown of the asphaltum should be replaced with glossy black. If images 'fills in" and gets too dark try rolling very fast across plate to lift excess ink. Sponge with water and Ruby Etch solution if scumming occurs. FAN plate dry.
8. TALC - Dust drawing with talc, brushing off excess. Buff talc with soft cloth.
9. 2nd ETCH - Use 50/50 (TAPEM and Gum) to etch plate a second time and stabilize image. Work over image area and then over entire plate with brush for 1 minute.
10. BUFF etch with cheesecloth. Allow to sit in plastic sleeve 20 - 30 minutes. No longer.
    ** This can be a stopping point OR you can continue and print your edition.
    

Printing your plate: Materials:

• Paper - BFK, Stonehenge sized to fit on plate.
• Newsprint for proofing and to cover
• Ink - Black Lithographic Ink; mix Crayon Black with Roll up Black
• Putty knife
• Large rubber roller and stand
• 2 bowls of water- with 1 teas. TAPEM added to one
• 2 sponges - one for clean and one for dirty
• Press set for Lithographs
• Scraper Bar, grease and Tympan or Plexiglas for Litho press
• Plexiglas, sizing and pusher blankets on Etching press

Registration

Registration is very important, it ensures that a one color image will print with consistent placement on each sheet of paper. The easiest system is the "T" and "Bar" method. Scratch a "T" and "Bar" into the plate to mark where the centers of each sheet of paper will be placed during printing. The "T" is at the top of the image and the "Bar" at the bottom. With a pencil mark the "T" and "Bar" on each sheet of paper.

1. NEW GUM LAYER - Apply new gum arabic to plate with brush and buff.
2. LITHOTINE - Wash drawing out with lithotine using a rag or soft paper towel. Keep working lithotine over the surface until all the drawing is dissolved. Fan lithotine dry.
3. Asphaltum - Buff down a thin layer of asphaltum. Fan dry
4. WASH OUT image with water and soft paper towels.
5. ROLL UP image with black ink Keep the number of passes consistent for each print.
6. Pull a proof on newsprint, sponge, re-ink and pull another. The first few impressions will be light but will become progressively fuller. When you reach the desired image pull a proof on good paper. Don't forget registration.
7. You can now begin printing the edition. Sponge plate with water in between passesó plate should be kept damp at all times. Paper can be dry or if necessary try a quick dip and blot.

Gradually add more ink to the slab as necessary. Sponge with water and Ruby Etch solution if scumming occurs.

CLOSING DOWN PLATE AFTER PRINTING

1. ROLL UP image to desired black after the last print.
2. FAN plate dry.
3. TALC - Dust drawing with talc, brushing off excess. Buff talc with soft cloth.
4. GUM ARABIC Brush on straight gum arabic and buff down with cheesecloth.

Gloves should be worn every time any solvent/ chemistries are handled.

All solvents and corrosives are to be kept, and used in the Solvent/ Acid room.

TIPS

Print with a partner. One person rolls up and prints while the other sponges. Help each other to make sure the steps are followed in the correct order. Have your notes at the press.

Apply a new layer of gum when returning to your plate after it has been closed down. It will be easier to wash out the image with lithotine if you have a new layer of gum that is buffed very tightly.

You must etch your borders and any open-plate areas so they don't attract ink when printing.

If you have a printing problem, close your plate down as described above and talk to me in class.

1. ACETONE - Use acetone and q-tip to delete areas of your image you want to rework. (Skip this step if you don't have any deletions to make but want to redraw.)
2. TANNIC ACID - Pour some Tannic acid on plate and sponge it down to a thin film. Do not buff.
3. WASH OFF plate with water and sponge off excess with sponge. Fan plate dry.
4. COUNTERETCH - Move Acetic acid counteretch over surface for 1 1/2 minutes. Wash etch off with water and sponge off excess. Fan or blot plate dry.
   Repeat counteretch a second time.
   
   Now your plate will accept grease again. Watch out for fingerprints! You can draw on any part of the plate. The previous drawing will remain intact. After new drawing is completed, process the plate as if it were the very first etch. Use the table to determine appropriate etches.