• ImagOn developer 
  • 1 level tsp.(10 grams)of Soda Ash 1 liter water 
  • Add soda ash to a small amount of hot water until the powder dissolves. 
  • Add room temperature water to dissolved soda ash solution to make a volume of 1 liter. 
  • Working temperature of the developing solution should be between 65-70 degrees F. 
  • Add developing solution to photo developing tray. 

..

Mezzotint (Subtractive) 

A technique with a working methodology similar to mezzotint techniques.     

Materials:

  • Plate laminated with ImagOn 

Overview:

  • The Mezzotint Intaglio-Type represents a unique method of working with the ImagOn film that displays working characteristics that are similar ( but definitely not the same finished results) to traditional mezzotint techniques. 

    One or more layers of ImagOn film are applied to the plate 

      Method One: 
      • all layers are exposed to the aquatint screen simultaneously
      Method Two: 
      • ImagOn layers individually exposed between each lamination. 
      Remember to remove the protective layer of mylar between applications of ImagOn film. 

      No laminating solution is required when laminating the second layer of film due to the inherent adhesive qualities of the ImagOn film.

    . 

 

Recommended procedure:   


Prepare Plate 

Adhere ImagOn to plate 

.

plate is developed and light-hardened. . 
The resulting coated plate has a stippled surface similar to sandpaper and if the plate was inked and printed it should yield a solid black print. 

To produce the desired image from this black printing plate you can use several ways to manipulate the developed ImagOn emulsion 

  1. Subtractive Process such as sand into the ImagOn emulsion
  2. Additive Process using a "fill-in" the emulsion
  3. or by a combiation of te first two techniques. 
 xx Mezzo-Intaglio-Type Subtractive Technique.  
 
Subtractive techniques are those techniques that remove or wear down the surface of the stippled ImagOn emulsion. 

Possible methods: 

  • use your burnishing tool wrapped with wet-and-dry sandpaper to selectively sand down the ImagOn plate. Use this sandpaper without water for the mezzotint since water will soften the emulsion.Wet-and -dry sand paper is used in this applications without the addition of water and with 

    • A variety of different sandpapers can be used. 
    • The coarser the grit the more of the ImagOn emulsion will be removed. . 
  • Other implements that can also be used are etching scrapers, Dremel tools or very sharp wood cutting tools.
  • More severe image manipulation can be done by painting 99% proof isopropyl alcohol or the caustic soda stripping solution directly onto the stippled 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

 
Health Warning 
Rubber gloves RECOMMENDED for the development procedure. Repeated use of developing solution can dry out the skin and cause a dermatitis reaction on the hands. 
Health Warning 
Eye protection advised. 
The developer is an alkaline solution. Do not splash the developing solution into eyes. 

Health Warning
Dry without heat

Develop

  • Remove protective mylar

. . 


Print

Clean Up of Printing Plate and Inking Station  

  • Vegetable oil (canola) and a rag.
  • Degrease with magnesium carbonate.
  • Put up all paper, plates, inks on personal or appropriate studio shelf and drawers.

Keep studio orderly