Day 4
Thursday 22nd August 2024
Stone Lithography – Getting to grips with the tusche
After yesterday’s mixed results, in which the photo transfer went a bit better, but where the tusche stubbornly refused to print, today was the day I decided to put my science and maths hat on and work methodically to see if I could get some tusche washes to print.
Rather than attempt to mix my own, I opted for one straight out of a bottle which only required watering down.
The Chemistry
I opted for a pre-mixed acrylic tusche, so that ‘all I had to get right’ was the ratio of tusche to water or tushe to white spirit.
Despite using ratios of drops of tusche : ml of water of 8 : 1, 2 : 1 , 1 : 1 and 2 : 3 it rapidly became clear that it was too dark. Decided therefore to brush white spirit across the bottom to see what effect it would have.
Continued with three further ratios of 1 : 2 , 2: 5 and 1 : 3 (shown below in the second row)
The tusche was getting lighter, however the dispersion was too even and the desired reticulation was not forthcoming. Therefore mixed tusche with varying ratios of white spirit to produce the visually more interesting third row – I was hopeful.
Back and Forth
One thing is clear about stone lithography and that is that you have to plan the sequence of work carefully as otherwise there can be a lot of waiting around because things take time to dry. Having given this planning a bit of thought beforehand, whilst waiting for the tusche washes to dry, I returned to my ‘Lady of Pain’ transfers and inked both up. The intention was to provide a direct contrast between a second etch print and a first etch print
‘Our lady of Pain’ on stone
‘Our Lady of Pain’ printed on paper
Remembering that the images are reflected from stone to paper, we can see that the second etched ‘Lady of Pain’ (printed on the left of the paper) is darker than the first etched ‘Lady of Pain’ (printed on the right of the paper) as expected. Unexpectedly the tusche at the foot of the image appears to have lost its detail. Not sure why this is the case.
Disaster strikes
Having prepped the stone with the tusche marks ready for printing, most of the subtler washes have disappeared. Even what is left doesn’t appear to take the ink resulting in feint prints in the top row (when they should have been virtually solid black) and non-existent prints of subsequent rows of tusche. I had hoped for subtle reticulated prints of ink, instead I was presented with blank paper again. Very disheartening.
Had I rushed the timings? Was the acrylic tusche mix contaminated?
Again I haven’t the answers. But tomorrow is another day and who knows; maybe the spirit of Paula Rego will guide me.