https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/smart-plate-printing • Posted by Anjeanette Artist
Smart Plates: A surface on which to draw and print from, similar to a lithographic stone. The surface is smooth and transparent which makes it easy to trace. An image can be made on the computer and then printed on the smart plate using a laser printer. Smart Plates can be purchased at Takach Press website. Packages run close to $20-50 depending on size and how many.
Smart Plates: A surface on which to draw and print from, similar to a lithographic stone. The surface is smooth and transparent which makes it easy to trace. An image can be made on the computer and then printed on the smart plate using a laser printer. Smart Plates can be purchased at Takach Press website. Packages run close to $20-50 depending on size and how many.
How to Process Smart Plates Pick up your smart plate by the edges, touching just the very tips of the plate so no grease transfers from your fingertips.
Draw any image using a Sharpie marker, or Bic Atlantis Pens. Leave a half inch margin of blank plate space around your drawing.
Let your drawing sit on your plate for 15-20 minutes.
Gather a sponge, a bucket for water and a glass surface. * The glass can be recycled from an old piece of glass from a picture frame!
Fill up the bucket with 1 quart of water.
Put 1 ounce of gum arabic in the bucket.
Mix this together well.
Get Gamblin Lithographic Shop Mix Black Ink, No. 2244. This ink works very well for the process and shouldn’t require any additive for printing. **Replacements and additives are listed below.
Use your ink knife and lay out a few strips of ink.
Take your brayer and make sure your brayer is covered evenly with ink. It should make a soft velcro sound.
Take your sponge and put a little water on the glass surface.
Put your plate, drawing face up, on the glass surface so that it sticks.
Immediately sponge the top of your plate, keep it wet the whole time you print. It needs to be kept wet, but not drowned in water.
Count 4 times rolling ink on your brayer, and 4 times inking your plate. Repeat this until you can tell your image is filling in evenly with ink.
Take a blank piece of paper and set it aside. Turn over your plate on top of the paper so that you can see through your plate.
Gently sponge the back of your plate with water. Take your bonefolder and gently rub the back until you’ve covered the whole drawing area.
Turn over your plate back over onto the wetted area and reveal your image!
Repeat all these steps until you’ve completed your edition! Websites for stuff: www.takachpress.com-- for sponges, smart plates and ink www.hollanders.com-- for papers, bonefolder and other bookmaking supplies Any other supplies you can find cheap at places like Hobby Lobby if you’re looking to experiment with less expensive materials. :)