Lithography is a unique printmaking method celebrated for its ability to capture the nuances of an artist’s hand. As a planographic process, lithography distinguishes itself from other printmaking techniques like engraving or etching because it does not rely on carving or incising lines into a surface. Instead, it utilizes the chemical repulsion between grease and water to transfer an image from a flat surface, traditionally a stone, to paper. This technique has been embraced by artists for centuries, allowing for a wide range of artistic expressions, from delicate lines to broad washes of tone.
The Basics of Lithography: Grease and Water Repulsion
At its heart, lithography is based on a simple principle: oil and water do not mix. This planographic printmaking process utilizes this antagonism to create prints. The image is drawn on a flat surface, originally limestone but also zinc or aluminum plates, using a greasy medium. The subsequent steps in lithography exploit this fundamental chemical principle to selectively transfer ink to paper, creating the desired print.
Materials and Tools in Lithography
Lithography employs specific materials and tools to achieve its distinctive results. Traditionally, a polished slab of limestone, known as a lithographic stone, serves as the matrix. However, metal plates, particularly aluminum or zinc, are also used as more portable and readily available alternatives. The image itself is created using oil-based materials such as lithographic crayons, pencils, or inks, which are specifically formulated to be greasy and adhere to the stone or plate. Gum arabic, often mixed with a mild acid, plays a crucial role in the chemical etching process, fixing the greasy image and preparing the non-image areas to repel ink. Other essential materials include rosin and talc powder, asphaltum, and lithotine solvent. Finally, a specialized lithographic press is required to transfer the image from the matrix to paper with even pressure.
Step-by-Step Lithography Process: From Drawing to Print
The creation of a lithograph is a meticulous process involving several key stages, each contributing to the final printed image.
Drawing the Image on the Stone
The lithographic process begins with the artist drawing the desired image directly onto the prepared surface of the lithographic stone or metal plate. This is typically done using a lithographic crayon or ink, both of which are oil-based and leave a greasy deposit on the surface. The directness of this drawing process is a key characteristic of lithography, allowing artists to work with a variety of marks and tones much like drawing on paper.
Etching and Processing the Stone
Once the drawing is complete, the stone undergoes a process called etching, which is crucial for fixing the image and preparing it for printing. This involves applying powdered rosin and talc to the stone’s surface, followed by gum arabic, sometimes mixed with a mild acid. The gum arabic solution reacts chemically with the stone, making the non-image areas more receptive to water and the greasy image areas more ink-receptive. This chemical treatment ensures that the drawn image is firmly adhered to the stone and ready for the next stages.
Removing the Drawing and Asphaltum Base
After the etching process, the original drawing is removed using a solvent such as lithotine. This solvent dissolves the greasy drawing material, leaving behind a faint, “ghost” image on the stone. This ghost image represents the chemically fixed drawing that will attract the ink during printing. Following the removal of the drawing, a thin layer of asphaltum is applied and buffed onto the entire stone surface. This asphaltum layer acts as a protective base for inking, further enhancing the ink receptivity of the image areas.
Dampening and Inking the Stone
Before printing, the lithographic stone must be properly prepared with water and ink. The stone is dampened with water, which is absorbed only by the non-image areas that were treated with gum arabic. Then, oil-based lithographic ink is rolled over the stone’s surface. Due to the chemical treatment, the ink is repelled by the damp areas and adheres only to the greasy image areas. This dampening and inking process is repeated multiple times to ensure the image is thoroughly inked and ready for printing.
Printing the Lithograph
The final stage is transferring the inked image onto paper using a lithographic press. The stone is placed on the press bed with the inked image facing upwards. A sheet of dampened paper is carefully placed on top of the stone. To ensure even pressure, a tympan board and padding are placed over the paper. As the stone passes through the press, a pressure bar presses down evenly across the surface, transferring the ink from the stone to the paper. The resulting print on paper is a reverse image of the original drawing on the stone.
Multicolor Lithography: Adding Layers of Color
To create lithographs with multiple colors, artists employ separate stones or plates for each color. Each stone is prepared with a specific portion of the image corresponding to a particular color. The printing process then involves running the same sheet of paper through the press multiple times, once for each color. Achieving accurate multicolor lithographs requires precise registration, ensuring that each color layer aligns perfectly with the previous ones to create a cohesive and detailed final image.
Lithography stands as a versatile and expressive printmaking technique, valued for its capacity to replicate the artist’s hand and produce a wide array of tonal and linear effects. From its traditional roots using limestone to contemporary adaptations with metal plates, lithography continues to be a significant medium in the world of art and printmaking.
Liz Zanis (American, born 1980). Lunch, 2018. Lithograph and stone. Courtesy of the artist
