Viscosity printing

Viscosity printing is a multi-color printmaking technique that incorporates principles of relief printing and intaglio printing. It was pioneered by Stanley William Hayter. The process uses the principle of viscosity to print multiple colors of ink from a single plate, rather than relying upon multiple plates for color separation. It is a fine art printmaking technique, as it is too slow and allows too much variation between proofs to make the printing of a large edition feasible.

Description of the process

Two to three colors of ink are mixed, each of a different viscosity. This property is adjusted by the addition of solvents such as linseed oil. Metal plates, usually copper or zinc, are used, as in the intaglio processes. The artist produces images on the plate by etching lines or textures. The plate is then inked in several stages. The first ink would be fairly dense — of a relatively high viscosity. The application of the high-viscosity ink is carried out like as in any intaglio process: by forcing it into the recesses of the plate and then wiping off the plate's surface with a tarlatan.

Ink of a second color, and of a thinner viscosity, is then applied to the surface of the plate with a rubber brayer. The varying viscosities of the ink prevent them from mixing. A third color, of even thinner viscosity, can also be applied at this point. This color is spread out on a glass plate, which is then pressed against the printing plate so that the ink only adheres to the highest points of the metal plate.

A damp sheet of printing paper is then placed on the upright plate and passed through a printing press, which prints all of the colors simultaneously. This is of a certain advantage, as in some other multi-color printing processes registration of the blocks presents a difficulty.

ee also

*Monotyping

References

* [http://www.niu.edu/art/faculty/driesbach/techniques.html NIU Techniques Page]
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