Non-Exposure Photocopy Transfer Method 

Recommended procedure:   

Prepare Plate 

• see Plate Prep Handout

Adhere ImagOn to plate 

• see Basic ImagOn Process Handout

Laminating the photocopy to the plate

• ImagOn layer is applied to a plate.
• Remove the top Mylar layer.
• take to the etching press for the lamination of the photocopied image to the plate.
• ImagOn plate sprayed with the 50% alcohol/water solution
• Position photocopy on top of the plate with the photocopy toner facing in direct contact with the ImagOn emulsion.  Smooth out wrinkles in the photocopy with your hand or a small hand squeegee. 
• If photocopy does not completely cover the ImagOn plate, 
• For photocopies smaller than the plate, save the top Mylar protection sheet for future use.  This prevents the ImagOn from sticking to the etching blankets. Plastic kitchen wrap, clean sheet of polyester or bond paper could be also used to protect the etching blankets. 
• Position etching blankets.
• run through the press in the same manner in which layers of ImagOn film are laminated to the plate. 

Removing the Laminated Photocopy 

• After laminating the photocopy to the ImagOn emulsion remove the top etching blanket protection layer and then try to peel back as much of the photocopy paper that you can.  Because paper is made in layers quite a bit of paper that can be removed before proceeding to the next step of submerging this plate into a water bath. Remove this paper by pulling it away from the plate with your fingertips.  After removing as much paper with your fingers place the plate in to a photo developing tray that is half full of room temperature water. The remaining paper is vigorously rubbed with your fingers to remove the rest of the paper. This can be a lengthy procedure. 

Developing the Plate 

• Once all paper particles are removed the plate is then submerged into the soda ash developing solution and very carefully developed. Development in this instance is done without friction by rocking the developing tray backwards and forwards until all of the blue deposits of the ImagOn are removed. The aim is to develop the plate without disturbing the photocopy toner that has impregnated into the surface of the ImagOn.
• This developing procedure is extremely sensitive to friction. The photocopy toner acts as a barrier in preventing the soda ash developer from attacking the ImagOn emulsion directly below the photocopy toner. After all traces of the unprotected areas of ImagOn emulsion are removed the plate is then dried and prepared for inking. At his point the plate could be etched if a deeper relief area on the plate was needed. 

Etching the Non-Exposure Photocopy Plate 

• Etching the plate at this stage accentuates the relief qualities of this method if a relief print is what is wanted. The option exists to lay more than one layer of ImagOn on to the plate to further accentuate the relief qualities of this plate. 
• Another option but less recommended option to using the soda ash developing solution is to use the 1% caustic soda or 4% soda ash solution. When using these solutions it is not necessary to use any agitation as these liquids act more quickly on removing the ImagOn emulsion. 
• If there are open metal areas on the plate and if an intaglio print is the intention then the plate can be spray aquatinted with the Hunt Speedball Screen Filler method previously mentioned and then etched. If a positive photo copy image was used then this intaglio printing of the plate will yield a negative image. 
• If the plate is to be printed before being etched some photocopy toners will cause the etching paper to stick to the plate. To avoid this the plate should be light hardened and then coated with a clear coat of Future acrylic floor finish. After the floor finish has completely dried the plate can be inked in relief or intaglio. An excellent relief ink for this purpose is the Graphic Chemical water-soluble relief ink. 

Using Transparent Photocopies 

• Another method of transferring the photocopy toner to the ImagOn emulsion is to make the photocopy on to transparent film made for photocopies.
• Although this method can prove to be frustrating, as it does not always release 100% of the photocopy toner to the plate. It is however a technique that can be executed quickly.
• In this instance the transparent photocopy is laminated to the ImagOn coated plate, as with the paper photocopy, by running it through the etching press. Immediately after lamination the edge of the transparent photocopy is lifted and quickly pulled back on itself. The success of this technique relies on the type of photocopy toner used, the pressure of the press, the percentage of alcohol to water and the speed it which this procedure is executed.
• If you stall halfway through this removal procedure the point at which you stall will result in photocopy toner not releasing to the plate. I have seen printmakers creatively using this technique by reducing the pressure of the etching press and then running the transparent photocopy through and then abruptly stripping back this photocopy. This action resulted in only about 50% of the photocopy transferring to the ImagOn plate. The pressure of the press was then increased and the same photocopy repositioned but slightly out of alignment and then run back through the press. Again the transparent photocopy was pulled back resulting in the rest of the image being transplanted to the plate. The effect was similar to the photographic effect called bas-relief.  The plate was then treated, in one of the above ways, before it was printed. 

Dry without heat

Reversal Techniques for the Non-Exposure Photocopy Method 

• Other techniques that can be used with the Non Exposure Photocopy method involve exposing this plate to a high UV light source. This is one technique that sunlight can provide one of the most economical sources of light. After the photocopy toner has been completely impregnated into the ImagOn film and all traces of the photocopy paper are removed the plate can then be exposed to an UV light source either through direct exposure to sunlight or through an exposure unit. 
• After exposure the photocopy toner must be removed from the ImagOn plate to reveal the unexposed portions of ImagOn emulsion. One way in which this can be done is to vigorously scrub the surface of the plate with a mild nylon abrasive pot scourer while it is in the soda ash developer. Once the photocopy toner is removed then the ImagOn emulsion existing below the toner will develop so that those areas of ImagOn emulsion should eventually be completely removed from the plate. 

 
Use dust mask and sand outside.

• Another alternative for removing this photocopy toner is to sand the plate, after it has completely dried; with an electric palm sander and 320 grit sandpaper. The aim is to gradually sand the plate to remove most of the photocopy toner that sits on the surface of the plate. As this technique does thin the ImagOn emulsion two layers of ImagOn may be necessary at the outset if the non-etch technique is to be employed. 

The Non-Exposure Photocopy technique can be useful in both the non-etch and etch methods. Once the Non-Exposure Photocopy Method plate has fully developed, so that no residue of the ImagOn emulsion exists on the developed portions of the plate, the option exists to etch the plate in ferric chloride or to aquatint and then etch the plate.