Pronto Plate and print
Polyester litho plates that come in various sizes. They can be used by directly drawing on them or printed with photocopier or laser printer. These plates are printed in the same way as traditional lithographs using water and oil based inks. Clean-up is without solvents.
Four color print and four Pronto Plates
http://www.boisestate.edu/art/programs/print/Poly%20litho%20ill/polyester.html
http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/programs/finearts/guides/litho.htm
Suppliers:
www.mediastreet.com
http://www.printmaking-materials.com/
Book:
Polyester Plate Lithography, George Roberts. Writers Press, Inc., Concrete, WA, 2001 available from Renaissance Graphic Arts:
http://www.printmaking-materials.com/
Solarplate and print
Light sensitive polymer coated steel plates that come in various sizes. Exposures made be made with sun light or a UV exposure unit. They are etched in water and can be used to make either intaglio or relief plates. Plates cannot be re-worked. They may be printed with either oil or water solubleinks.
http://www.psy.ku.dk/ross/Ph_grav.html
Supplier:
http://www.solarplate.com/
http://www.rembrandtgraphicarts.com/
Book:
Printmaking in the Sun, Dan Welden and Pauline Muir, Watson-Guptill, 2001
Copper plate etching made with acrylic grounds and ferric chloride.
Polymer grounds are substituted for traditional solvent based hard ground, soft ground, stop out, and aquatint rosins. The grounds are removed with an alkaline bath.
http://www.ganoksin.com/ftp/edinburg-etch.pdf
http://homepage.usask.ca/~nis715/gfgrnd.htm
http://www.artbag.dk/www-grafisk-eksperimentarium-dk/images/LITTERATUR/Handbook/Preview/Aquatint.pdf
Suppliers:
http://www.zacryl.com/
http://www.lascaux.ch/english/malhilfen/produkte_druckgrafik.htm
Books:
Intaglio, Robert Adam and Carol Robertson, Thames & Hudson, 2007
The Contemporary Printmaker, Keith Howard, New York, Write-Cross Press, 2003.
Handbook of Non-toxic Intaglio, Henrik Bøegh, Narayana Press, Gylling, DK (Acrylic resists, photo polymer films and Solarplates as well as how to make a UV light box, spray booth for aquatints, etc.) http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/boegh.htm
FERRIC CHLORIDE
A strong salt solution that can be used to substitute for acids (hydrochloric and nitric) when etching copper.
http://www.stacyfrank.com/theprintmakingprocess/ferricchlorideetching.html
Suppliers:
Most chemical suppliers.
Print and Toray plate. Plate was worked on directly.
Referred to as waterless lithography, the plate is coated with light sensitive silicone. The plates come in various sizes and can be worked on directly or exposed with UV exposure unit. Unlike traditional lithography, the Toray plate is printed using oil based ink without water.
Supplier:
http://www.rembrandtgraphicarts.com/
Book:
Silicone Intaglio Workbook, Heather Arak-Kanofsky and Nathan Kanofsky, 1999. available from Rembrandt Graphic Arts
http://www.rembrandtgraphicarts.com/
COLLAGRAPHY
Collagraphic plates are made by gluing thin layers of cardboard or paper and textures to a substrate and sealing them with acrylic gel medium. The plates may be printed either intaglio or relief with either oil or water soluble inks.
http://visualstudies.buffalo.edu/resources/printlabs/courses/intaglio/collagraph.html
Book:
The Complete Collagraph, Clare Romano and John Ross
GELATIN PRINTS
Using water based inks, monotypes are printed from plates made of gelatin. This is an easy process that does not require a printing press.
http://www.littlebit.com/ideas_misc/gelatin_prints.htm
http://www.mgne.org/currentevents.htm
Book:
Making Monotypes Using a Gelatin Plate, Nancy Marculewicz, Cincinnati, Ohio, North Light Books, 2002
WATER SOLUBLE INKS
Commercially available inks for monotypes include AkuaKolor, Createx Monotype Colors, and several water soluble block printing inks. Watercolors and Caran d’Ache crayons may also be used for monotypes. Akua Intaglio may be used for intaglio and monotypes.
Akua Kolor and Akua Intaglio- http://www.waterbasedinks.com/
Createx Monotype Colors - http://www.createxcolors.com/monotype.htm
Daniel Smith Water Soluble Block Printing Inks - http://www.danielsmith.com/ds-manufactured-products-water-relief.asp
Graphic Chemical Water Soluble Printing Inks –
http://www.graphicchemical.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=222&cat=Graphic+Water+Soluble
Caran d’Ache Neocolor Crayons
http://www.carandache.ch/products/fineart/detail.lbl?g=Classic&p=Neocolor%20II
SAFER SOLVENTS
Cleaning plates, brayers, and palettes of oil based inks can be done with vegetable or baby oil, Art Wash, SoySolv, and citrus cleaners. Degreasing can be done with alcohol, citrus cleaners, dish detergents and household cleansers.
SoySolv
http://www.printmaking-materials.com/printshop/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=222&cat=Solvents
ArtWash
http://www.rembrandtgraphicarts.com/21_rga_cat.html#Anchor-ArtWash-47857
OTHER LINKS RELEVANT TO SAFER PRINTMAKING
Zea Mays Printmaking, a printmaking studio located in central Massachusetts dedicated to safer printmaking. Offers workshops.
http://www.zeamaysprintmaking.com/index.html
New Directions in Printmaking, a website maintained by Nik Semenoff with a wealth of technical information of processes and devices that Semenoff has developed and freely shares.
http://homepage.usask.ca/~nis715/
National Non-toxic Printmaking Invitational - A website created by Cynthia Blasingham with a description of techniques and lots of resources.
http://www.cynthiablasingham.com/national/national/t_monotype.htm
Edinburgh Print Workshop – Located in Scotland, this print workshop is dedicated to non-toxic printmaking. Offers classes. Website provides lots of good information under “Innovative Printmaking.”
http://www.edinburgh-printmakers.co.uk/
Druckstelle – a printmaking workshop in Berlin that offers instruction in non-toxic printmaking processes.
http://www.druckstelle.info/en/index.htm
Warringah Printmakers Studio – Located in Sydney, AU, this print studio has been practicing alternative printmaking for ten years. The website offers information about these processes.
http://www.printstudio.org.au/
Green Prints – A website by Cedric Green with a description of safer techniques including GalvEtch.
http://www.greenart.info/galvetch/contfram.htm
Kevin Hass, professor at Washington State University, has posted information about safer printmaking techniques on his website.
http://www.wsu.edu/~khaas/resources/index.html
2007 (c) Joan Hausrath. All rights reserved.
Polyester Lithographic Plates (Pronto Plates)
Acrylic Ground Etching with Ferric Chloride
Toray Plate (Waterless Lithography)
Links Relevant to Safer Printmaking