Drawing Tools for Acetate Film and Copper Plates

For drawing on acetate for photopolymer gravure with following exposure to UV-light

• Good quality Watercolour Pencil gray or black. ”Koh-I-Noor Progresso Aquarell”  is very good but other acknowledged brands are also working well, like the aquarellable pencil from Stabilo number 8008 (for paper, glass, plastic and metal.
• The best permanent markers for lines in all thicknesses that are completely resistant to UV-exposure is uniPOSCA (black).

For  drawing and blocking out directly on the copper plates 

The best permanent markers for drawing and blocking out directly on copper plates before or after application og aquatint that are completely resistant to acid or ferric chloride come is uniPOSCA (black). It comes in different thicknesses.

Paint the area to be lifted from the printing plate with melted soy wax on the printing plate. Let the wax air dry completely on the plate and paint over the plate with Lascaux Hard Resist the same way as you would apply it as a hard ground. Let the plate dry at room temperature 10 minutes or until it is touch-dry. Dry it with a hair dryer and the hard resist hardens like any other acrylic etching grounds where it is located directly on the printing plate, while the lift media melts and can be removed with a cloth. The plate is degreased and can now be etched right away creating open bites or sprayed with aquatint before etching.

This Lift-Ground has been developed by my good friend MarnixEveraert, teacher of non-toxic intaglio at Academie vor bildende Kunst in Gent, Belgium

Fast-made version of my slow-drying soft ground describe in my book on page 27.

Melt 1 part soy wax (available in flakes – used for non-toxic candles ) with 1 part black Charbonnel lithographic printing ink (3-5 grams of each) in a metal cover/lid on a hot plate, stir with a wooden stick and let it get cold. Heat a copper plate on the hot plate, melt a lump of the mixture (soft ground ) on the copper plate and roll or dab it out in a thin uniform layer. Let the copper plate with the soft ground cool down to room temperature and the plate is ready to be  worked in. When you are finished, etch the soft ground 30-50 min. in 12,5 Beaumé ferric chloride . The etching ground can be removed with salad oil . The soft ground will keep soft for approx. 2-3 days before it starts drying. (Soy wax is available in many hobby shops alternatively you can use soy wax from a candles).

This version of my slow-drying soft ground has been developed by my good friend MarnixEveraert, teacher of non-toxic intaglio at Academie vor bildende Kunst in Gent, Belgium