Waterless Lithography Tutorial

This video walks you through the steps of how to do waterless lithography. Waterless lithography is a lithographic process that does not require heavy expensive presses or too many toxic chemicals. It is based in the idea that water and silicone don't mix.

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• Waterless Lithography
• lithography
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• printmaking
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• Carl Anderson

[anderscj]

Add paint thinner to the silicone until it is about the consistency of maple syrup. I don't think oil based ink will work because it will probably stick to the dried silicone. You might try water based inks but I don't know whether they will work or not.

[anderscj]

The plate is a standard metal litho plate. I don't think greedy crayons will work...they have to be water-based.

[TheSisterSerpent]

how long does your plate hold up before the silicon starts to wear off?

basically, how many prints can you pull before the plate starts to break down?

also i got fro, the tutorial that the silicon areas (negative space) reject the ink and the ink gathers where the plate is smooth, which are the areas where your previously drew lines? (this would be like reverse stone/plate litho)

[anderscj]

I don't know how long the plates will hold up. I have never pulled that many prints to find out. Allegedly it will hold up quite a long time (thousands). On your second point you are partially correct. In traditional litho you etch the plate with chemicals that attack the areas where you draw with your crayon. With this process there is no etching. In that sense it is reverse litho but just like traditional litho in this process the ink goes where the drawing was.

[richterjuez]

Sorry, one last question, when you wash the plate to take off the silicone, just use water? how, warm or cold?

No more questions, I promise ;-) Thanks!!

[richterjuez]

@anderscj

Thanks!! I'll try

[richterjuez]

Hi!! I want to know which proportion do you use when mix the silicone with the thiner?

and is it necessary to use gum based ink? or can I use water based or even oil based?

thanks a lot

[danaliz22]

that's very cool! what did you use for the plate? and is it posible to draw with greasy pencils, like litho pencils?

thank you!

[waverly87]

I was curious about the markers... can you also use the other colours, to create the positive printing areas?

[anderscj]

I have had mixed success with traditional oil-based inks but consistent results with gum-based ink.

[anderscj]

I used washable Crayola markers.