Printing the Lithographic Stone

1. Gather and arrange printing materials (See: Printing Materials Checklist)
2. Select and engage scraper bar. The scraper bar should be longer that the width of the image but shorter than the width of the stone
3. Place the stone on the bed so that it is aligned to travel properly under the scraper bar. The stone should also be shimmed forward from the end of the bed with one or two 2x4's.
4. Mark the press bed with masking tape to indicate the starting and ending points of the pull.

5. Set initial press pressure by doing the following:
   1. Lay the tympan over the stone and slide the bed forward to the marked starting point.
   2. Loosen current pressure setting until the "pressure on" state does not engage the scraper bar against the stone and tympan.
   3. In the "pressure on" state, crank the scraper bar down until is tight against the stone and tympan.
   4. Release the pressure, then crank it tighter to reach the initial pressure setting:

Raol

1/2min - 3/4 max

Bobby

1 1/4 min - 1 1/2 max

Smooth

1/4 min - 1/3 max

6. Roll out ink
7. Washout the image.
   1. Lithotine: Remove the image from under the etch with lithotine. Wait for the lithotine to evaporate in the image areas before proceeding. The stone color lightens when the lithotine has evaporated. Fanning speeds the drying.
   2. Asphaltum: Rub asphaltum into the image area. Wait for the asphaltum to evaporate in the image areas before proceeding. The stone color lightens somewhat when the asphaltum has evaporated. Fanning speeds the drying.
   3. Water: Wash unwanted asphaltum and gum away with water. Use the "dirty" sponge.

NOTE: Lithotine, Asphaltum, Water - it's the LAW!

8. Bring the image up. This is a gradual process of inking and proofing until the stone is producing good impressions.
   1. Your roller should be charged with as little ink as possible. Roll over the stone using a standard inking pattern (such as: four sets of four rolls, charging roller between each set).
   2. Pull a proof on newsprint. This first proof should be extremely light. (If it is not, you began with too much ink. Do not add ink to the roller & repeat go back to step a.
   3. Add a small "line" of ink to the slab and roll it into your roller. Roll over the stone using the same inking pattern.
   4. Pull a proof on newsprint. This proof should be slightly darker than the previous proof. Compare this proof to the previous one. It should be slightly darker.
   5. Repeat steps c & d until the image begins to look fully inked. (Bringing an image up should take from 4 to 8 newsprint proofs.)

9. Continue the same steps, but begin proofing on final proofing paper. (It can take from 1 to 4 proofs on good paper before you produce the perfect impression. )
10. Once you have produced the perfect impression ( referred to as the printer's proof, bon a tirer or B.A.T.), you begin printing the edition.Each impression is compared to the B.A.T. and checked for consistency. Adjustments to inking are sometimes required during the course of printing the edition.
11. When finished printing the edition, clean up the printing area thoroughly before leaving.