You can make artistic lithographic plates at home, but doing so isn't for the faint of heart. You will spend both time and money following the simple process described below. However, you will have the pleasure of creating and printing your art using a plate you made. From beginning to end, the entire creative process will depend on your skill and talent.
Instructions
Making a Litho Plate
1. If you are using stone, slide a metal ruler or level over the stone's surface. If you find any unevenness, or if someone has used the stone before, use the graining stone and gently grind away any uneven high spots or the old image.
If you are using metal plates, create "tooth" on the slick, flat plates on a graining machine using aluminum oxide powder and small metal balls to grind the oxide into the plate's surface. "Tooth" helps the plate hold ink during the printing process.
2. Wash and dry metal plates to prevent oxidation; do the same for stone plates to remove any small flecks of ground stone that remain on the stone's surface. The stone plate is ready to use.
3. Counter-etch metal plates with a dilute solution of acetic acid, rinse off the acid and dry. The plate is ready to use.
4. Transfer your drawing to your plate. Use a pencil, carbon paper or conte crayon, making sure you introduce no grease or wax to the plate's surface.
5. Use a litho crayon or pencils to create the slightly elevated image that will hold the ink.
6. Select a high-quality paper with a soft surface as its fibers will be required to take and hold the ink.
7. Print your work.
