- Dec 1, 2024
Updated: Jan 28
Lithography is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water"
Grinding and preparing the stone
The surface of the stone must be ground while it is wet with a levigator, using different grades of carborundum powder from coarse (60) to fine (220). You must spin the levigator in a figure of eight pattern to grind and polish the surface of the stone evenly. It's tough on the wrist! The last test is to wash off any trace of carborundum and pull a squeegee over the stone and look for any scratches or marks. Then I was shown how to de-grease the stone by flooding it with acetic acid (vinegar), leaving it for a minute and then giving it a final rinse. Then we framed the 'edges' of the print by painting gum arabic around the edge of the stone.
Drawing techniques
Litho crayon. Comes in hard and soft, and can be sharpened with a knife. For a more precise line, use the hard crayon (you can identify because can't push your fingernail into it). The harder crayon tends to print lighter.
Rubbing ink. Rub into the stone with a rag or scrim, and it can create a very soft charcoal-like quality. This can print very dark, so use sparingly, or less than you think you'll need.
Hard Tusche. You can use this straight out of the jar in liquid form or dilute with varying amounts of white spirit
Paste Tusche. Mix with distilled water in varying amounts. Leave to dry (for as long as possible) to create a 'reticulated mark' - a very distinctive quality which makes a drawn line or painted mark appear tubular, bubbly or cell-like.
Autographic ink. Use with a dip pen or brush for line work
Sanguine Crayon. Sketch out your design onto stone before applying any lithographic techniques.
Gum arabic. This can be used to mask any areas you want to be white.
I used a combination of techniques on my litho stone. Because time was limited, I didn't trial the diluted tusche as it creates these subtle reticulations but only when left to dry as slowly as possible.
'First Etch'
Dust your stone with rosin dust, then chalk. This protects the drawing.
Mix gum arabic with nitric acid. Strong acid = 9-12 drops nitric, medium = 6 drops, weak = 3. Use different strengths depending on how strong you want to etch. Stronger acid can lighten areas you think might be too dark. Using different strengths of acid on specific areas of the stone is called 'spot etching'.
Apply gum arabic to the surface of the stone. Pool in one corner, then pat over the whole surface with a sponge.
At this point we left the stones overnight.
Remove the layer of gum arabic and the drawing with white spirit and rub away with a rag.
Apply ashphaltum and rub with a clean rag. This strengthens the drawing.
Wash the stone with water and a sponge and lug the stone over to the press!
Print 1
Roll out the non-drying ink with the large leather roller. I used Monté Black.
THE STONE MUST BE KEPT WET AT ALL TIMES so that when the ink is rolled, only the drawing will collect the ink. So keep a bowl of water and a sponge right next to you while inking. Roll the ink various times (10 x?) in different directions and keep wetting the stone and ensuring the edges stay clean.
When inked, use a flapper to dry the stone.
Mist your paper so it is damp. place onto the stone. Although the first 3 or so prints I did onto newsprint, because the first few are always too faint, and ink builds up gradually.
In fact, my first print was too faint generally. I think I was too cautious not to make the drawing too dark, that it went the other way.
Second Etch and the final print
I defined and darkened my drawing with more rubbing and autographic ink. Then I repeated the etching process with gum arabic and a stronger amount of nitric acid (9 drops) over the whole surface of the stone.
Once inked on the press, I also picked out some highlights by scraping with a small stone and a knife. I learned about how much the drawing can be tweaked and altered at this stage.
I was pleased with the final prints, but I think I was more excited now to know the process of lithography. The solid object-ness of the stone seems to suit my interest in the print as an object.
