Mark from Fine Art is producing a series of photo-litho prints. Normally we would expose the plate to ultraviolet light on the exposure unit in the Textile Workshop but as it was such a sunny day we decided it would be more fun to expose the plate in the sun. This takes 3 minutes as opposed to 90 seconds on the exposure unit and also gave Mark the chance to catch some rays! Above is a photographic breakdown of the process which starts with the exposure of the plate using a black and white positive transparency in the contact frame. The contact frame is hung in a favourable position facing direct sunlight. Once exposed, the plate is then developed and rinsed. When it is dry, the plate is damped down with fountain solution and rolled-up with litho ink. The plate is then printed using the star-wheel etching press.
