Re: solarplate

[Jack Brubaker <jack@jackbrubaker.com>]

Chris,



This is more a photogravure technique but thought I'd throw it into this
string since you mentioned drawing on the solarplates. Back in the 60s I did
some printing with copper that had an aquatint on it and was drawn with a
solution like the makings of carbon tissue. I melted gelatin and pigmented
it with white. If my memory is right I used a little honey in the solution
to help it hold moisture and not flake off when it dried. Keeping the
gelatin warm in a bath of hot water I painted a tonal image on the copper.
Building up layers of the gelatin-pigment for lighter tones. Since the
solution chilled on contact with the copper layers could be built up
quickly. The plate was brushed with bichromate and exposed to harden it. It
was then etched as a photogravure to reproduce the tonal drawing as a
multi-layer etched relief in the copper. The results were surprising for how
well the brush strokes and tones were reproduced. I didn't pursue it further
at the time because I found drawing from dark to lights uninteresting. But
I'm  wondering about reviving it to help with plates that combine other
drawing-etching techniques.

Jack