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ProntoPlateLithographyMaggieCarberryPasquan
PREPARINGYOURIMAGE:Imagesmaybeprintedfromalaserprinter,drawnbyhand,oracombinationofthetwo.Possibledrawingtoolsinclude:Sharpie,ballpointpen,chinamarker,lithocrayon,indiaink,orotherwaterproofmaterials.Ifusingalaserprinter:Linedrawingsorhighcontrast,grittyimagesworkbest.Youcanuseacopymachinetotransferanimagetoaplate(thiswilladdabitofcontrast),orprintdirectlyfromacomputer.IusuallybeginwiththefollowingformulainAdobePhotoshopandadjusttofittheneedsoftheimage.Thefollowingisjustaplacetostart.Experimentandseewhatworksforyou.Note:thisprocesswillnotworkwithinkjetprinters.
1) Startwiththecorrectimagesize.Image-ImageSizeIsuggest8x10in@120pixels/in.
2) Changeimagetograyscale.Image-Mode-GrayscaleORImage-Adjustments-BlackandWhite(formorecontrol)
3) Increasecontrast.Image-Adjustments-Brightness/Contrast
4) Addabitof“grit”.Try:Filter-Artistic-DryBrush
Note:Large,solidblackareascanbetrickytoprintbecausetheinkwon’thaveanythingtoholdonto.Ifyouareconcerned,youcanselectthoseareasandclick:Filter-Noise-AddNoise5) ChangeimagetoBitmap.Printinginkcanonlyreadblackandwhite(not
grayscale),soyoushouldchangeyourimagetobitmapbeforeprinting.
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Image-Mode-BitmapOutput=120pixels/in.,Method=diffusiondither.
Youcanalsoexperimentwithhalftonescreensinbitmap.Idonotrecommend50%thresholdbecauseitwillyieldlarge,solidblackareasthataretrickytoprint.6) Important:warmupyourprinterbeforeyouprint.Inorderforthe
tonertofusetoyourplate,youneedawarmprinter.OpenablankdocumentinMSWordandprint5blankpagesbeforeprintingyourimage.
7) Printyourimageemulsiondown.Whenyourunyourplatethroughtheetchingpress,theimagewillbereversed.Thiscanbecorrectedbytellingyourlaserprintertoprinttheimage“emulsiondown”.Loadyourplateintothebypasstray,thenclick
File-Print(⌘P).
Undertheoutputmenu,checkboxnexttoEmulsionDown.(Seebelow)
8) Heatsetyourimage.Immediatelyrunyourplatethroughtheprinteragaintoheatsetit.UseyourblankMSWordpageandpressprint.(Alternately,youcanbakeyourplateintheovenat250°for10minutes).
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ProntoPlateLithographyPRINTINGYOURIMAGE
SUPPLIES:Printmakingpaper(Stonehenge,RivesBFK,Kozo)NewsprintOil-basedetchingink(Gamblin,Charbonnel,andGraphicChemicalworkwell.Somepeoplepreferlithoink)MagnesiumCarbonate(tostiffeninkifnecessary)GumArabicSolutionMediumsizebowl(metaliseasiesttoclean)SpongeBrayerStraightbladepalletknifePapertowelsRubbingalcoholandvegetableoilforcleanupInkingsurface(18x24acetateworkswell)SpraybottlefilledwithwaterPressorwoodenspoonRubberglovesToothpasteFantastikor409
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SETUPYOURWORKSPACE:1) Cutpapertosize.Wewillbeusing9x12.2) Usethespraybottletodampenbothsides
ofeachpaper.Stackthepaperstokeepthemmoist.Thetoplayermayneedoccasionalmisting.
3) Putonapairofgloves.4) Prepareyourink.Manyetchinginksneed
tobestiffenedwithasmallamountofMagnesiumCarbonate.Iftheinkmakesyourplatescummy,itmaynotbestiffenough.
5) FillthebowlwithwaterandaddasplashofgumArabic(1/2oz-1oz.).
6) Usethespongeandgum/watersolutiontodampenbothsidedofyourprontoplate.Thedampbackwillhelptokeepyourplatefrommoving,andthedampfrontwillkeepinkfrombuildinguponthewhitepartsofyourplate.
INKINGYOURIMAGE:
1) Loadyourbrayerwithathinlayerofinkandrollitbackandforthonyourwetplate.Rollupanddownaswellassidetoside.Becarefulnottolettheplatewraparoundthebrayer.
2) Usethespongeandgum/watersolutiontogentlywipetheplatebetweenlayersofink.
3) Loadyourbrayerwithmoreinkandrepeat.4) Buildup4-5layersofink.Wipeyourplatewiththespongebetweeneach
layerandattheendbeforeyouprint.
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PRINTINGYOURIMAGE:1) Layeryourplatefaceuponthepressbed.2) Removeyourglovesandusecleanfingerstoplaceaclean,damppaperover
yourplate.3) Layertwosheetsofnewsprintoverthedamppaper.4) Coverwithblanketandrunthroughthepress.5) Pullyourprint,returntotheinkingstationandtryagain.Thesecondprintis
oftenbetterthanthefirst.
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CLEANUP:1) Plate:Runyourplatethroughthepresswithafewsheetsofnewsprintto
removemostoftheink.Youcanusewaterwithadaboftoothpastetoremovetherestofit.Rinseandstoreplatebetweensheetsofnewsprintforlateruse.DONOTuserubbingalcoholtocleanyourprontoplate.
2) Brayerandinkingstation:Putongloves.Usevegetableoilandapapertoweltothininkonbrayerandinkingsurface.Thenuserubbingalcoholtocleanupvegetableoil.AfinalwipewithFantastikor409isoftenhelpful.
SUPPLIES:www.graphicchemical.combestsourceforgumArabicsolutionandotherprintingsupplies.Shippingcanbeslow.www.dickblick.comforink,prontoplates,paper,teacherdiscountinstorewww.artistcraftsman.comlargebrayersatareasonableprice,paper,ink,teacherdiscountinstorewww.jerrysartarama.com“schooletchingpress”isagreatdealfor$180