PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES

This site is a place where I work out my ideas and include my successes with different aspects of printmaking. I am a large format printer and many of my prints have at times exceeded 30" X 40" inches. I can't get much bigger than that due to limitation of press size and also I am only 5'3" so I can only stretch so far. I am very experimental and fool with all kinds of fun stuff. Speaking of experimental printmakers check out Susan Rostov and Willam Jung. I met Susan at Manhattan Graphic Center where she has taught our students and me (love this stuff) carborundum printing with her inks...Fantastic....and no she is not paying me for the compliment...when its good ya just gotta say so....check out their wonderful website at Akua-Kolor. I will be adding many more sites to this section that I think printmakers would like to bookmark in the future.

Technique
Chine Colle with all kinds of printmaking methods, including relief (wood and lino) also carborundum prints and etching		 Commentary
I've met more people who have been so frustrated with chine colle. There is a solution to this and that's a good adhesive. Oh my, you have methylcellulose, rice paste and wheat paste. Well those items work fine for adhereing chine colle to paper for etching, although I have always had problems. THE SOLUTION IS STRONG ADHESIVE AND THE ANSWER IS RHOPLEX. Using Rhoplex I have had great success in adding heavy paper to my print.

It is important to experiment not all papers work well when you finally print on top of it.

Clarification of technique:
1) Coat Chine Colle papers with Rhoplex with a very disposable soft brush gently in one direction only. You can clean Rhoplex follow manufacturers directions.
2) Lay on top of Lino Block or woodblock glue side up (and by the way Rhoplex is an extreme adhesive and tacky)
3) Dampen your paper, but not soaking wet please.
4) Lay the dampened paper on top of Lino/woodblock
5) DON'T FLIP OVER AND PRINT....NO, NO, NO, NO....

(Well if you must print with printmaking paper on press first you have to make a sandwich out of the whole thing and then flip it. Get two pieces of plexiglass about 1/8" thick. Place lino-block/woodblock with the chine colle on top on one plexiglass. (BOTH PLEXIGLASSES MUST BE SAME SIZE) AND LARGER THEN YOUR PRINTING PAPER. THEN dampen paper and place on top of woodblock or lino block (with chine colle). Place second plexi on top and carefully flip the sandwich you made, printing paper is first thing on the press (it will still be on plexiglass, that's fine just remove top plexi, fix pressure on the press to accomodate the extra width of 1/8" plexiglass. Also use clean blank newsprint on top to protect blankets on press. 6) Yikes!!! you will lose the chine colle as it flys thru the air and a great mess will commence and lots of hair pulling. Make sure on the press that plenty of cheap Blank Newsprint is placed on top of the dampened printing paper so the blankets on the press will not be destroyed and NOW print.
Keep a notebook on all experiments. Start small. Try different papers. Fabulous. Don't do a whole chine colle with out first figuring it all out first. I've seen more people at the workshop where I am just go nuts because they could not work small and make samples first and figure out how much glue, what kind of papers and also conceptualize the collage effect they wanted. Experiment and and play first then go for the grand masterpiece. Please go to TALAS and check out the great website and and GO FOR THE RHOPLEX!(Jade glue is good too but I have not experimented with it as much)