Quickstartguide:Litho

The steps to take to make a stone lithograph print.

Removing the image

• grind the stone with pumice to remove the ink on the image
• grind two stones together with sand and water between the stones in an 8-shaped pattern. The mixture of water and sand is when the top stone rolls over the sand particles but does not touch the bottom stone. I.e., there needs to be a layer of sand that covers the full bottom stone and enough water to make the grinding go smoothly. Don't put pressure on the top stone, it's weight should do the work.

 * grind until you don’t see the image anymore. Bevel the edges of the stone with the stone file.

 Polishing the stone

• Wash both stones so there are no stone or sand particles anymore
• Start off with the roughest grain carborundum powder and grind the stone again in the same way as with the sand do this for 5 to 10 minutes
• Wash both stones so there are no carborundum particles anymore
• Repeat this step with the medium and fine carborundum. Make sure that before the switch, the stone is clear of carborundum

• grind the stone with a glass or steel levigator and the finest carborundum and water. Use a pattern that covers the whole stone equally. Don't put any pressure on the levigator.

Make a image on the stone

• draw with one of the special materials for stone lithography. Lithographic crayon, Lithographic pencil, Tusche, or Lithographic ink. Make sure to keep the edges (+/- 5cm)of your stone free from drawing. The edges won't be printed. 

Etching the stone

• prepare the etching fluid. This is a mixture of gum Arabic with nitric acid. If you are not sure how to do this ask one of the staff. Nitric acid is dangerous!
• use cotton wool to apply talcum powder over the image.
• pour the mixture of gum Arabic with nitric acid on a white part of the stone and use a damp sponge to move it over the image. Keep moving this around for a minute or two. Then thinner the layer of gum as much as possible.
• wait at least 12 hours

mixture

• the ratio of the mix depends on the the image
• use 25 drops nitric acid in one once gom for a drawing
• 10 grams gom / 8 drops nitric acid

important

the greasy image areas become water repellent or hydrophobic

the non-image areas become water receptive or hydrophilic

This chemical change happens in the very top layer

Washing the stone

• wash off the acid gum Arabic with water and a sponge
• dry the stone with a lithographer's fan.
• apply plain gum on the stone with a damp sponge and make the layer thin 
• Dry the gum Arabic
• Start removing the drawing with turpentine. This is called the ‘dry wash’ the surface of the stone is protected by the gum Arabic.
• wash off the gom with a good amount of water and keep the stone wet with a sponge
• remove the rest of the drawing with turpentine. This is called the ‘wet wash’ the surface of the stone is protected by the water.

Rolling up the stone

• Refresh your washing water and make sure the sponge you use from now on has no turpentine in it
• Use the sponge to moisten your stone. It is important that the stone is completely moist every time it encounters the ink roller. It should not be wet. Too much water will prevent the ink from the roller from attaching itself to the greasy parts of your stone.
• roll up the image with not drying ink (pen ink) and repeat till you see the image again as you have drawn it. Be sure to moisten your stone all the time.

Second etching

• Dry the stone
• use cotton wool to apply Rosin dust powder over the image
• use cotton wool to apply talcum powder over the image
• pour the mixture of gum Arabic with nitric acid (usually stronger than the first consult a teacher for details) on a white part of the stone and use a damp sponge to move it over the image. Keep moving this around for a minute or two. Then thinner the layer of gum as much as possible.
• Wait for 5 to 10 minutes. Time to have a coffee or thee break before the printing parts starts.