U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: wiping KM73 polymer plates

Re: wiping KM73 polymer plates



Hi Nancy,

I'm glad you're here!!!

I'm totally new to these photo polymer plates, but I do have a bfa in
printmaking,  I haven't done any prints in years though, and it's fun
to get back to it!  I actually pulled a little one today from a test
image I made, and was quite happy with the result.  I'm impressed at
the detail I can get.  This was an inkjet positive I printed on that
3M brand transparency that was so icky compared to the Pictorico.  I
didn't even have my "aquatint" screen yet, so I just added a lot of
grain to the image in photoshop, and did it in one exposure.  That's
something I am going to have to play around with some more, because
the result was pretty good.

One of the best things though, is that my studio smells like INK!  ;o)

Thanks for sharing your inking techniques!  I did use a magnet...
that's really neat.  I just used some graphic chemical vine black with
a little plate oil.  I can't wait to get my exposure routine figured
out so I can spend more time on making art, and less time reading and
taking notes and testing!

susan

www.dalyvoss.com

On 2/7/07, Nancy Diessner <ndiessner@rcn.com> wrote:
 This discussion of the various steps in the photopolymer process is very
helpful. To date, I've had contact with only a small number of people who
work with these plates (other than the students I'm teaching it to!), and
the suggestions here have already opened up interesting new options.
 Susan, you haven't written yet about wiping and printing the plates, but I
did want to mention a few things:
 1. You may know this already, but using a sheet magnet while you ink and
wipe the plates makes wiping a breeze. The steel-backed plates stick to the
magnet and stay put as you ink and wipe.
 2. The ink I use for these plates has been a mixture of equal parts Graphic
Chemical Bone Black, Stiff Black, and Transparent Base. I've now started
adding a bit of Graphic Chemical Gel (nontoxic) that makes the ink more
gooey and brings out more subtle tonal variations in the plate. For some
images I've made it so gooey I've had to almost pour it on the plate (for
plates I've heavily altered by hand). It's made a big difference for me.
 Others?

 Nancy


 SusanV wrote:
Jon and Jan,

 Thanks for the info about papercutters.  I've seen that mentioned, but
 I was thinking they were those heavy-duty $$$$ kinds used in
 printshops.  I'll go dig out my old paper cutter.

 Actually, I've gotten better at using the draw knife, finding out that
 if I first start cutting from the polymer side of the plate with a
 "box cutter" blade, and get through all the gunk there to the metal,
 then flip it over and continue cutting from the back with the draw
 knife, it works much easier than going all from the back.  That's got
 to be the longest sentence I've ever written.

 Like Rita said earlier... this group is such a treasure.  Thanks for
 all the help!

 susan

 www.dalyvoss.com



--
Susan Daly Voss
www.dalyvoss.com