OUGD504 - Vernon Street Workshop

A few of us inquired about different print processes at Vernon Street, and they held a workshop for us telling us about everything we can do there. The main things we wanted to learn about were copper etching and embossing. I wanted to learn about what was available for the Design for Print brief, so this was valuable primary research as I learnt a lot and tried out some of the processes in preparation. 

Processes that can be done at Vernon St

• Monoprint - either run objects or stencils through the rolling press with ink on to press onto stock
• Screenprint  - alternate way of digital printing, I am already familiar with this tecnhique.
• Linoprint - carve image onto a piece of lino, ink up and put through a rolling press. Already familiar with this tecnhique
• Collograph - all about texture. Stick things on, or alter cardboard with sandpaper, tippec etc to ink up and press onto stock.
• Embossing - went in depth with explanation on this which can be found below
• Drypoint/Intaglio - scratch into a plastic plate
• Etching - hand drawn, and can work with tone
• Photo Etch - explanation done below, and went through demonstration in workshop
• Bookbinding - already experimented with last year, went through all examples of what could be done this workshop
• Foil Stamping - This is something Sarah was working on, and isn't complete yet but she showed us some examples. Letters which are heated up and branded onto things like bookcovers, and can be done in silver, gold etc

There are two types of printing - relief and intaglio. 

Relief

• Lino
• Woodblock
• Monotprint

Intaglio

• Drypoint
• Etching

Embossing

This is what I wanted to know most about - embossing. I wanted to know if you can use ink on the area rather than a blind emboss, but this isn't something you can do. 

Tips

• What is etched away becomes raised.
• If you want it raised, you print a normal positive, if you want an area dented it needs to be an inverted positive.
• Print the positive out the right way round - it is placed face down on copper so doesn't need to be reversed.
• If you have a  small plate on a large area, the outline of the plate will show.
• Sans serif text is more successful than serif text, this is because it etches outwards and not completely straight down. 
• The deeper you etch the better the emboss but you lose definition.
• 12pt or above is good
• 10pt you start to lose definiton, and anything under won't work
• For lasercut embossing, it does need to be printed reverse.
• Grayboard is a good material for lasercut embossing as it is thicker than mountboard, but not as thick as mdf.
• Screenprinting probably won't work because if you do it beforehand the pressure of the Press will take the ink off, and if you do it after you will lose some of the emboss due to the pressure of the squeegee.

Photo Etching

1. Get a copper plate and choose the side with the least scratches on
2. Sand it - turn the sander of once you've lifted it from the plate
3. Then degrease - pour the solution on and move sponge over it
4. Blot dry it with newsprint
5. Coat with a thin layer of varnish
6. Light sensitive film goes on copper for photo etching - there are three layers, clear, blue and frosting
7. Need to remove the frosting layer as it makes film curl
8. Lay it over the plate
9. Then put a sheet of acetate on top
10. Go over to the roller, put it down and cover with the blanket
11. Roll it through steadily
12. Turn 90 degrees and roll it back
13. Cut off the excess film and place face down somewhere dark so it doesn't expose
14. Put the copper in developer for 8 mins so that it thins
15. Then expose the image onto it. The image must be laserprinted onto acetate and doesn't need to be reversed as it goes face down on the copper. Expose for 9 units.
16. Then peel of the top layer and place in sodium bath for 3 mins. Sodium solution is 10g per litre and 18 degree water temp.
17. Gently agitate and run sponge over it - if there are still granules on it, it still has film on it
18. Rinse with cold water
19. Blot dry with news print
20. Wait for it to be completely dry
21. Plate goes back under UV box - cover back with parcel tape, attach a hook and expose for 80 units
22. Put in the etching box for 3 hours, then turn over and put in again for a further 3 hours
23. Put in the rinsing box for ten mins
24. When etched, can use the Hydraulic Nipping Press
25. To put in the Press, you need to layer the etching in the following order:

• Copper plate
• Etching
• Stock
• Packing

26. Tighten it

27. Pump it slowly until it won't anymore

28. Push the black button in

29. Pump again to 4000-6000 psi

20. Pull the black button out

21. The process is now complete and the stock should have an embossed image of what is on

       the etching.

Monoprint

• I decided to try this process as I hadn't done it before, and I printed out some type and cut the letters out with a scalpel.
• I then got a plastic plate, and rolled ink onto it - I used purple and blue to create a colour blend.
• I then placed the type onto the plate in reverse.
• I then carried it over to the press, put it on and put some stock over it.
• Then I put some packing on it, and put the blanket on.
• Then I rolled it through, and it revealed the coloured type.
• The more I did it, the more ink residue was on the stock creating a blotted effect which is characteristic of mono print.

When I was talking to one of the tutors, he said that if the stock was damp when I put it through the press, it would create an embossed effect - this would resolve my problem of how to create an embossed effect with ink! So I am going to try that out next week. 

 Screenprint

I decided to screenprint some business cards and a type poster as I wanted to experiment more with fluorescent and metallic inks, as well as colour blends to try something a bit different. 

Linoprint
Here is a linoprint that I made:

I printed it by using a wooden spoon as pressure rather than putting it through a press to achieve a more DIY look.