Polyester plate lithography for fine artists by george f roberts. For the book artist, polyester litho plates can offer rapid access to rescale or repurpose artwork and text, in a fine art printed multiple to fit into a variety of formats, from handheld artists books to mixed media. Tools and techniques for creating gallery quality fine art prints. Unlike woodcut and intaglio, lithography is a chemical medium, based on the principle that oil and water dont mix. The basic lithographic process in this printmaking process, the artist draws the desired image on a flat stone surface, using a greasy litho crayon or a greasy black ink tusche note. If youre interested in nontoxic fine art printmaking, the pronto plate 5000 is the solution youve been waiting for. Polyester plate lithography is an excellent example of how a completely nontoxic chemistry using acrylics is not only possible, but a much practiced reality thanks in no small part to the groundbreaking research carried out by george roberts at boise state university in the late 1990s. Use a light pencil, like a 6h, to trace closely around your plate. Posted in art, multiples, process art diy printmaking multiples polyester plate howto polyester plate lithography printmaking without a press zacryl plates. This is because with a laser printer, one can directly print on the plate. Polyester plate lithography demonstration by lesley patterson. Polyester liyhographic plate grafiwiki polyester plate lithography is a technique which is counted among the surface printing. The department of art offers a dynamic and interactive program in a challenging and supportive environment. Chemical free printing plate production polyester plates.
Art 237 printmaking i 3 recommended prerequisite or corequisite. Jul 30, 2017 a quick resource for understanding the process of polyester plate printmaking. Load your polyester plate into the manual feed tray on the printer and click print. Lithography article about lithography by the free dictionary. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. This is a video of me demonstrating a printmaking process called polyester plate lithography. Notes on paper lithography and gum arabic transfer. It can be subtle with many layers of washes or it can look like a pencil drawing with strong lines that pick up the texture of the drawing tool and the tooth of the plate. All handouts are in pdf format for easy download and printout, and you are welcome to use and share. The litho plate, the pronto plates, and your paper can all be punched to use pin registration. Stacy frank works on paper etchings, lithographs, works. George roberts developed polyester plate lithography, a new and nontoxic form of lithographic printing while he was professor of printmaking at boise state university.
I think it will work fine for printing relief, or maybe even boxcar plates. Each etching and lithography press is made by hand. Manufacturers of the worlds finest etching, lithography, intaglio, combination, motorized, monotype, woodblock, and table top printing presses that have set the industry standard. The printing plate in lithography is the surface of a stone limestone, which may be smooth for reproducing pen graphics or grainy for reproducing pencil drawings. These techniques have many applications, including photo lithography, polyester smart plate lithography, gumarabic transfer, screen printing, photoetching, as well as any photofilm based printing. How to make a prontopolymer polyester plate lithograph polyester plate lithography polyester litho plates pdf washington state university polyester plate graphics revolution pronto plate lithography. Pronto plates are the least expensive, most efficient option for directto plate printing in smaller offset printing applications. Some artists in early lithography lithography for artists lithography for artists a complete account of how to grind, draw upon, etch, and print from the stone metal plate lithography for artists and draftsmen lithography for artists. This is how to do that using mineral spirits followed by a heat gun. A quick resource for understanding the process of polyesterplate printmaking. Jan 03, 20 polyester plates the polyester surface of a.
Polyester plate lithography the museum an artists blog. I added some photos and info of the plates and how i drew it. The velvet tone film has a rougher texture for drawings that. Students will combine polyester plate lithography with plexiglass or zinc plate monotypes, dry point and possibly collagraph. Polyester plate lithography demonstration by lesley. One color lithograph using a century plate youtube. Take care to keep the negative spaces free of medium. Laser plate printing is similar to aluminum plate lithography. However, it is best to make a few adjustments to your print settings to make polyester plates print easily and accurately at the press. Using an additional litho plate and pin registration printing your pronto plates when they are laying on top of an old litho or photolitho plate, will help the pronto plate stay stuck down, as well as keeping the area around the plate damp and ink free. How to make a pronto plate lithograph lost art student. Resources exhibits, washington printmakers art gallery. Photo plate lithography positive working plates introduction lithography literally means stone writing. Polyester plate lithography printing with polyester litho plate is similar to aluminum plate lithography.
Aug 17, 2010 polyester plate lithography by george f roberts, 2001, writers press edition, unknown binding in english. The fabric is printed plate down with the print media thick enough so that it does not run off the plate. Traditionally lithography employs limestone as the matrix. This has been a lifelong process that began when i learned to sew as a child. The nine fulltime faculty and 15 parttime faculty are all highly trained and educated professionals, working artists, art historians and art educators who are national and international leaders in their fields. Lithography process video printmaking khan academy. Famous fine art lithographers lithography instantly became a popular form of graphic art with painters during the mid1800s, including the spaniard goya, and the french artists gericault and delacroix noted for his equestrian lithographs. Download the full pdf on the web site of the us national toxicology program. A print created using the technique is called a vitreograph. The printing is from a stone lithographic limestone or a metal plate with a smooth surface.
This form of lithography is nontoxic, unlike traditional stone lithography. In contrast to the traditional stone lithography, it is very easy to handle photographic image. Since 1975 takach press has been building fine art printmaking presses. Difference between polyester plate and pronto plate. Emily mccoy, polyester plate lithography collage, chicago 2010. Lay out a sheet of newsprint or mylar and then lay your plate in the middle. Replicate your image onto the pronto plate using sharpie markers, lithocrayon, china marker, stabile pencil, andor laser print. I probably wont use it too much for intaglio or lithography.
You can print polyester plates using a freeform collage approach, without. I try to provide accurate information, but everyone works in different studios with different materials, so adjust and adapt as needed. Cut new aluminum plate to size be aware of the size of the litho scraper bar when cutting plate, one dimension of the plate should be larger than the scraper bar is wide, taking care to keep grained surface clean and grease free to avoid having to counteretch the plate. The printing is from a stone lithographic limestone or a metal plate with a. This 45 page spiral bound manual is full of the most current techniques on aluminum plate processing, acid tint, acrylic medium reversal, xerox transfer method and a trouble shooting guide. Lithography is a method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The stone is then treated or etched with a solution of gum arabic and nitric acid. Polyester plates eliminate the need for rare and costly limestone printing blocks. To make a lithograph, the artist marks on a plate originally stone, now mostly metal with. True lithographic inks for hand printing are very stiff and moderately short. Aluminum plate lithography manual published by tamarind institute in 1999. As far as i know, inkjet polyester plates have not yet been used by fine artists outside of our studio. Polyester plate lithography in 5 minutes nate orton.
Smart plate polyester litho plate takach press, fine art. A practical demonstration of colour printing by letterpress, photooffset, lithography and. Several companies sell these plates, but they seem to all function the same way. Plate decorating classic reprint polyester plate lithography metal plate lithography for artists and draftsmen lithography.
Lithography is a very versatile printing technique and artists can get the medium to suit the needs of their particular style. Manufacturer of fine art printing presses since 1975. Use these skills to create complex multicolored prints from your drawings, photographs, or. For tight registration, prestretch your paper and then punch it.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. This interactive bookstyle dvd will demonstrate the xerox copy lithography technique which directly relates to polyester litho plates such as the smart plate product in our catalog. The artist draws with a greasy materialusing anything from chalk or crayon to liquid tusche applied with a brushon to a prepared matrix of either limestone or an aluminum plate. Lithography, from the greek for stone printing, is an intricate printmaking process that revolves around grease and water resisting one another. The physical object format unknown binding number of pages 65 id numbers open library ol12305633m isbn 10. Original handmade lithography in polyester plate by lokistreachery, items similar to original handmade lithography in polyester plate only one print art deco a death in the forest on etsy shop for on etsy, the place to express your creativity through the buying and selling of handmade and vintage goods. Emerging artist residency ear was established in 2009 by atlanta printmakers studio aps to provide emerging artists the resources to create a body of work and an opportunity for professional development.
Other drawing materials ballpoint pen, drawing ink, markers. Mix plate oil with the ink, experiment to get the correct viscosity. It is an excellent tool to spark interest in beginning litho students by combining computer imagery and hard printed lithography offering immediate results. Takach press is honored to label our products made in the u. One color lithograph using a century plate lawson culver. Attempt to avoid getting oil from fingers onto the plate.
Printmaking reference material takach press, fine art. Stacy frank is a santa cruz, california artist creating works on paper including intaglio etchings, drypoints, monoprints, polyester lithographs, drawings and custom artwork. Drawing materials such as marker pens, ink pens, etc. They may be drawn on by hand or run through a copier or laser printer. Its more like a model of a press than a real press, but i was able to pull some polyester plate lithos and i didnt even break it. Artwork features palm trees, landscapes, wildlife, sealife, horses, flowers, bird nests and abstracts. My cousin, tommy wooldridge, created this video in february of 2012. The handouts are updated from time to time, so check back once in a while. Her handpulled etchings are rendered in drypoint, acid line etch, aquatint, and monoprints. Greasy mediums are drawn on the surface of the stone. Apr 28, 2012 notes on paper lithography and gum arabic transfer.
Using adobe photoshop and a laser printer, you can easily scan and print images onto polyester plates. I baked one plate a little too much grin but i was able to ink it and print it even tho it was crispy on the edges. I dont think you need an expensive laser printer, i just use a little brother hl 5040 that someone gave us for free and it works just fine the trick is to put the. The artist then rolls the ink up on a brayer and layers it repeatedly over the plate alternating with swipes of the damp sponge. Jan 22, 2009 here is me, mirka hokkanen, demoing plastic plate zacryl brand lithography for a couple of people. Inking the plate polyester plates print best with inks that are moderately stiff with a fair bit of length. Tamarind techniques for fine art lithography a musthave for every lithographer, workshop, library and classroom. Load you plate into the manual tray on your laser printer and click print. Unit is a manual serigraph printing unit with a completely flat. Plates product categories renaissance graphic arts, inc. They are doublesided, heatresistant, semitransparent, polyester plates with a special watermissive coating to hold water while printing.
Today, artists use stone lithography to produce fine art prints, but 150 years ago it was the colorprinting technology. Original lithograph prints art by contemporary artists tamara sorkin, william christopherson, john powell, bessie papazafiriou, wayne wilcox, hyacinthe kullerbaron, david larkins, hilary pollock, mimma umeton, rachel e heberling, tinko dimov. First english language edition, translated from the german. Paper lithography is a simple way to make monoprints or to augment etchings, woodcuts and other prints. As a printmaker and textile designer, i am constantly exploring the confluence of traditional printmaking methods and their application to fabrics. This traditional technique is still used in some fine art printmaking applications. Lithography from ancient greek, lithos, meaning stone, and. It is an excellent tool to spark interest in beginning litho students by combining. I added some photos and info of the plates and how i drew it on my blog. Toner washes must be fused to the plate or they will not stick. Limestone is usually the preferred surface for fine art, but zinc and aluminium plates are also used. Roberts, john f polyester plate lithography for fine artists 2001 welden, dan and.
Unlike a monotype, in which ink is painted onto a smooth glass plate and transferred to paper to produce a unique work, the vitreograph technique involves fixing the. Adapting traditional printmaking processes for textiles surface design news. Accurately printing your polyester litho plates on a laser printer requires the use. Emerging artist residency atlanta printmakers studio. Nontoxic polyester plate lithography renaissance graphic arts. Focus is placed on fine art printmaking with selfdirected content utilising design fundamentals. Here is me, mirka hokkanen, demoing plastic plate zacryl brand lithography for a couple of people. From introduction printmaking is undergoing significant. Oilbased printing inks, ideally lithography inks, are amended with burnt plate oil which makes the ink viscous.
You sponge the plate its really more like a heavy sheet of polyester paper and roll ink across it while still damp. For example, if you want a 2 margin, measure 2 from the plate. The idea is simple enough just like a stone or aluminum plate, the polyester plate holds water while your drawing area made from some type of waterproof material will hold oilbased ink. And lastly, who doesnt love some free swag from the vendor and. Takach press fine art etching press, lithography press. An artist will draw with a greasy material on a lithographic stone, and then chemically treat the stone to etch the drawing into the stone, which can then be inked to produce many impressions on paper. A simple method of lithographic printmaking utilizing the convenience of the ipad for image editing and manipulation and polyester plates or pronto plates as the lithographic medium.
Polyester plate lithography 2001 edition open library. An introduction to the materials and basic processes of printmaking, including screenprinting, relief, intaglio and planographic processes. For lithographs printed on a press, the plate is always bigger than the paper used for printing, so with that technique, you are not supposed to get plate marks. This process uses a photo copy as a plate and with a bit of technique allows you to ink the plate with oilbased inks. Friday,18 june, 2010 sunday,30 september, 2018 electrofork.
Adapting traditional printmaking processes for textiles surface design news may 21, 2011. Chris 2007 paperback polyester plate lithography the color revolution. This water seals the porous surface of the plate but the image area resists the water. It was invented in 1796 by german author and actor alois senefelder as a cheap method of publishing. The denril has a finer tooth to it and is more suitable for washes and fine line drawings. The book tamarind techniques for fine art lithography by marjorie devon lists important toxicological data and professional safety measures recommended to practice stone lithography with relative safety. Vitreography is a fine art printmaking technique that uses a 3. Create a small that can be replicated onto the pronto plate. Polyester plate lithography demonstration by lesley pattersonmarx on vimeo.