Lithography Exam

Who invented lithography? Where did he invent it? When did he invent it?

Alois Senefelder, Munich, Germany, 1790

The name “lithography” is derived from Greek and means what?

Stone writing

Of the major printmaking techniques, how long is the history of lithography compared to the other three?

Shorter than relief and intaglio, longer than serigraphy

Of what material are litho stones composed? Where are they quarried?

Limestone, quarried in Bavaria

What metal surface can also serve as a drawing and printing surface for lithography?

Aluminum

Lithography is a planographic printing process. What does that mean?

No varying elevations or scratches in the printing surface are required to make a print.

Historically speaking up through commercial printing shops of the 20th century, was it standard practice for lithographers to share printing tips and insights with other printers?

No, secrets and adaptations developed in the shop were jealously guarded.

With what tool do you grain the stone?

Levigator

What are the pros and cons of graining stone-to-stone instead?

Easier to keep stones level, produces two stones instead of one. It is slower, especially when using rougher grits.

When you begin graining a stone, you begin graining with #50 grit; on average, how many times do you grain with #50 before moving up to a finer grit?

Twice

On average, how many times do you grain with #80 grit?

4-5 times

On average, how many times do you grain with the finer grits after #80?

Twice

With what tool do you bevel the stone?

A rasp, or a flat bastard

What is the purpose of the bevel?

To prevent chipping off the edge of the stone

With what material do you smooth the bevel?

Snakeslip

What is the most abrasive carborundum grit?

50

At a minimum, the stone should be grained through what grade of grit before drawing on it?

180

What is the finest grit in the shop?

#FFF

Once graining is complete, counteretch the stone with a solution of 95% water and 5% ___.

Acetic Acid

What are the characteristics of a good litho ink?

Short, a lot of tack, and contains no driers.

What is the range of colors in lithostones and why is the color significant?

Yellow/yellow-white/whitish-gray/darker shades of gray. This is important because the colors indicate the softness or hardness of the stone, which indicates how hard an etch the stones will accept without losing the image. Yellow is the softest while dark gray is the hardest.

What is the primary function of the etch in lithography?

The etch desensitizes the open areas of the stone to grease.

Do climate factors such as temperature and humidity influence the affect of the etch on the stone?

Yes

What three factors influence the strength of the etch’s effect on the stone?

How long the etch is wet on the stone before it is buffed down, how much the etch is agitated on the darker areas of the stone, and how much nitric acid has been mixed into the etch.

As a rule of thumb, how do you determine the strength of an etch for an image?

The darker the image and the greasier the drawing medium, the stronger the etch should be.

What powder reinforces the grease in a drawing on the stone, making it stand up stronger to the etch?

Rosin

What powder removes excess rosin dust?

Talc

What liquid constitutes the primary ingredient in a litho etch?

Gum Arabic

What acid is mixed into a litho etch to make it stronger?

Nitric Acid

With what mild, highly-refined member of the Turpentine/Mineral Spirits solvent family should you wash out the image from a litho stone with?

Lithotine

After the first washout, what substance should be used to reinforce the greasy areas of the image with a base that will withstand all solvents to which the stone will be subjected henceforth?

Red Lacquer V

How long should you allow Red Lacquer V to dry for before wiping up the stone?

45 minutes

With what greasy substance do you wipe up the image?

Liquid Asphaltum

When working with what substance does the instructor require you to wear gloves?

Red Lacquer V

What powder can be added to sponge water to keep the sponge and water clean and also counteract scumming?

Magnesium Carbonate

When do you stop inking the stone during the first roll-up?

When the image is slightly darker than the original drawing.

What step in the etching process occurs in the first etch but not in the second etch?

Wiping up the image with Red Lacquer V

Does Red Lacquer V go away when you wipe up the image with it?

No

If the image inks up very rapidly during the first roll-up, should the etch solution for the second etch be stronger, the same, or weaker than the first?

Stronger

What part of the litho press actually applies the pressure to the stone?

Scraper bar

What is the name of the plastic sheet and grease which facilitates the stone’s passage through the press with very little friction?

Tympan and Tympan Grease

Which paper did the professor recommend for printing your lithograph?

Rives BFK

On what kind of paper did the professor recommend printing proofs until the stone was fully inked up?

Newsprint

What is placed between the print paper on the stone and the tympan?

5-6 sheets of newsprint

What is the name of areas or smudges of ink collecting on the stone in what should be open areas?

Scumming

Honore Daumier

Toulouse-Lautrec

Kathe Kollwitz

Pablo Picasso

List the steps of the first etch in order.

1. Tamp rosin and talc onto the stone; dust off excess

2. Mix and apply etch to stone

3. Buff down the etch

4. Fan dry stone for at least 20 minutes

5. Reactivate gum if you have waited more than a day to proceed

6. Roll out the ink

7. Wash out image with lithotine

8. Wipe up image with Red Lacquer V

9. Wait at least 45 minutes

10. Sponge off stone with water

11. Roll up image on stone

12. Counteract scumming

13. Fan dry

List the steps of the second etch in order.

1. Tamp rosin and talc onto stone; dust off excess

2. Mix and apply etch to the stone

3. Buff down the etch

4. Fan dry for at least 20 minutes

5. Wash out image with lithotine

6. Wipe up image with asphaltum

7. Sponge off the stone with water

8. Roll up the image and begin printing