Wash Drawing Intaglio-Type
for Continuos Tone Images

This technique is used to create images that have subtle ink/tusche type washes and hand drawn lines.  Lines can be created from as many different drawing materials. It is possible to translate approximately 95 of the tonal range to the printed image. 

The Wash/Drawing technique can be used with or without the aquatint screen. It is necessary to use the aquatint screen if open areas of black are present in the art work. If for instance the art work consists of fine ink or pencil lines the aquatint screen may not be necessary but if there are continuous tones, the aquatint screen is critical. Generally it is best to err on the side of using the aquatint screen when in doubt. 

Image Making Techniques 

Wash Media on Frosted polyester (Mylar) 

• If using the aquatint screen with the Wash/Drawing technique the drawing or wash must be made on to a transparent or translucent surface.
• single sided architects drafting Mylar a high quality tracing film for all wash and drawing media. 
• If non-permanent materials are used then this Mylar can be reclaimed and used more that once. 
• The mark making potential of this technique is enormous. 

Wash materials that work well: 

• combination of water soluble ink and black designers gouache makes a wash comparable with lithographic tusche washes. 
• high pigment density liquid watercolor
• air brush inks
• diluted Graphic Chemical water soluble relief ink 
• use alcohol and water or Fantastic to create interesting "effects" within the wash areas. 
• rock salt dropped into wet areas can create textural effects.
• toner Tusche (see formula to the left)

Pencil type materials 

• Water-soluble  pencils can be reworked with water charged brushes to produce wash drawings. 

Image Making on a Frosted Lexan surface 

Lexan sheeting is especially well suited for most drawing materials although it can be a little slick. Due to the stippled nature of the Lexan surface the drawing media has a tendency to sit on top of this stipple surface thus creating a dot structure that translates into a good quality intaglio image through the Wash/Drawing technique.. 
Make the drawing or wash directly on to frosted Lexan sheeting.   An advantage to using this technique is that the most non permanent drawing media can be removed from the Lexan sheeting so that it can be reused. 

Multi-colored Plates: 

Water-soluble pencils and acrylics are especially suited for multicolored plates where each different colored wash drawing, made onto drafting Mylar, can be overlaid on the previous drawing before making the plates. 

• It is best to start with a key plate wash drawing 
• Other Mylar layers are made by overlaying Mylar drafting film sheets on top of this key plate.
• Let each successive overlay wash drawing to completely dry before continuing to the next overlay. 
• A full range of tonality and color can be achieved if process etching inks of magenta, cyan, yellow and black are used on the inked plates.

Exposure 

• Expose to Aquatint Screen


Constant Exposure which has been calibrated. 
The aquatint screen simulates the results of conventional etching aquatints by exposing a densely clustered random dot onto the ImagOn coated plate. 
. 

• Image Exposure

• to the wash/drawing. 
• Exposure time varies according to imagery. 
  . 

• Flash Exposure


Constant Exposure (with some exceptions)  calibrated to each exposure unit. 

Dry without heat

Develop

• Remove protective mylar

. . 

Dry Plate 

Harden Plate

Print  

Printing the Etched Intaglio-Type plate 
After the plate has etched it can be printed with the ImagOn emulsion still intact on the plate. This makes the plate easier to wipe and may preserve some minute details that did not etch. It is advisable to proof the plate first with the ImagOn emulsion on the plate and then with this emulsion removed. Comparing both results will enable you to determine exactly which areas of the plate did actually etch. The ImagOn emulsion is removed in the same manner described under the Basic ImagOn Process Handout. It should also be noted that further image manipulation can occur if the ImagOn emulsion is selectively removed from the plate. Sanding with 600-grit sandpaper can most easily control this. Where the ImagOn emulsion is retained on the plate there will be no plate tone and where the ImagOn is removed there will be plate tone. 
• see Printing Handout

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.