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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