• Preparation
• Selecting Monotype Papers
• Rolling-Up
• Painting On the Plate
• Modifying Akua Kolor
• Viscosity Monotypes
• Using Needle Applicators
• Using Akua Kolor Pens
• Hand Printing
• Cleaning up
• Trouble Shooting
• Woodcuts/Linocuts
• Creating Directly on Paper

Preparation
Before beginning, add a flip top lid and shake all colors for one minute. In the case of bottles containing a mixing ball, the mixing time begins after the ball rattles.

Selecting Monotype Papers
Akua-Kolor printed on dry paper gives back much more intense colors, while dampening the paper results in soft colors and possibly soft edges from the inks bleeding into the damp paper. Dry paper allows for easy registration as the paper will not shrink or expand.

For best results use:

• Hahnemuhle Monotype or Hahnemuhle Silkscreen
  (Other Hahnemuhle papers are not recommended.)
• Rives BFK
• Lana Gravure
• Magnani Pescia
• Arches 88 (Other Arches papers are not recommended.)

Rolling-Up
The instructions below apply to rolling up the monotype plate with Akua Kolor and printing with a press using dry printmaking papers.

Adding drops of Akua Kolor to the monotype plate.
 

STEPS

1. Add a few drops of ink to the printing plate.

• Small size plates: about 2–3 drops
• Medium size plates about 5-10 drops
• Large size plates: about 10-20 drops

2. Add 2 to 3 drops of Retarder into the ink.

• Mix the ink and Retarder with the edge of the brayer

3. Roll out the ink evenly over the entire plate using a soft rubber brayer.

4. Add a few more drops of ink and roll out again.

• Do not add more Retarder.
• The ink should be very thin on the plate.

5. Wait three minutes

• Waiting allows the ink to thicken so additional layers will adhere.

6. Add a few more drops of ink and roll out.

• Increase the amount of ink by a few drops for each roll up.
• If the brayer starts to slide, wait another three minutes before continuing.

7. Lift the plate and look through it to see how dense the color looks.

8. Continue adding drops of ink and rolling until the desired density is reached.

Rolling up Akua Kolor on the monotype plate.
 

The number of layers needed to reach a solid, opaque color on the plate depends on the pigment. Some pigments cover more readily than others.

• Black: 8 to 10 layers for the maximum opaque black
• Yellow: about three layers
• Blue: about five layers
• Burnt Sienna: about six layers
• Ultramarine and the earth colors are the hardest to read, while yellows and reds are the easiest.

TIP

After printing, if you plan to ink up the printing plate again, it is not necessary to clean it unless you are switching to a lighter color. In fact, the ink residue will help build up new ink layers quickly.

Painting On the Plate

William Jung paints on the monotype plate with Akua Kolor
 

Pour Akua Kolor straight from the bottle onto a palette. Dip the brush into the ink and apply to the plate. Clean the brush with water. Dry excess water off the brush before using it again. Check for puddles of ink on the plate. If puddles are seen, blot them with tissue paper before printing

Modifying Akua Kolor
For fluid brushwork and thin roll up coats, use Akua Kolor right from the bottle with no modification. A variety of modifiers and methods are available for changing the consistency of the ink.

Akua Kolor will "air thicken" after being left uncovered over a period of time on a palette. Air thickened Akua Kolor will produce a heavier brush stroke and denser roll up coat. Use a watercolor palette with a lid and cover until desired thickness is achieved. Add Extender directly to the colors on the palette that have become too thick. Extender restores Akua Kolor to its original consistency.

"Air Thickened" Akua Kolor
 

To thicken Akua Kolor immediately for stronger semi-gloss color and for printing without a press, add Tack Thickener. Slowly pour Akua Kolor into the Tack Thickener. It is always easier to mix a thinner ingredient into a thicker ingredient.

Tack Thickener
 

Add small amounts of Tack Thickener and mix with a palette knife until the desired thickness is achieved. Roll out the thickened ink with a soft rubber brayer. Once the brayer is evenly coated, roll and transfer the ink onto the monotype plate. To transfer thickened ink to a Needle Applicator, mix on wax paper, fold the paper, and pour into the small opening of the bottle.

Note: When mixing for Needle Applicators, add a small amount so that it is still possible to pour. When printing without a press, add equal amounts of Akua Kolor to Tack Thickener.

To make a thicker transparent ink add Akua Kolor to Transparent Base. Stir the Transparent Base before using and use in the same manner as Tack Thickener.

To prevent the ink from drying on the plate, add Retarder to Akua Kolor. This will also help release the ink onto dry paper during the printing process. Only a little is needed, as too much will cause the ink to bead.

To create wash effects and blends on monotype plates and paper, use Blending Medium. Pour a small amount onto a palette and blend as desired. It also acts as a substitute for solvent for splatter effects for monotype. Check for puddles on the plate and blot before printing.

Adding Akua Kolor to the Akua Oil Converter will stiffen the ink. Before mixing, work the Oil Converter with the ink knife till it’s smooth. Then add a drop of Akua Kolor into the Oil Converter. If ink becomes too stiff to roll, loosen it with the addition of Tack Thickener, Transparent Base of Akua Intaglio Ink.

Viscosity Monotypes
A viscosity monotype deals with two inks of different viscosity, thick and thin, resisting one another. First paint thin Akua Kolor onto the plate. Then roll thicker Akua Intaglio ink over the painted surface. The Akua Kolor will resist the Akua Intaglio. Add Akua Oil Converter to Akua Intaglio ink to maintain the stiff quality when necessary. Note: Try using Retarder or Blending Medium for a clear resist.

Using Needle Applicators
Fill the Bellows-bottles with Akua Kolor and assemble. Press the bottom of the bottle very gently. It will be ready to use when the color flows to the tip. When the needle is first placed on the plate, a small bead of ink may run off the tip. Before placing the tip on the plate, wipe the bead of ink off by running the tip over a piece of paper. To clean the needle tips, fill a clean Bellows-bottle with water and squeeze the water through the tip.

Using Akua Kolor Pens
Akua Kolor Pens have a unique valve dispensing system that allows the user to apply a thin coat of ink on plastic or paper. This system helps prevent puddles of ink on plates and increases the drying time onto paper. Fill the pens with Akua Kolor, and depress the tip with a gentle pumping action. It will be ready to use when color flows to the tip. To clean the pen tips, remove them from the pen and wash under running water.

Printing by Hand with the PinPress
By Gail Ayres

Weighing in between an etching press and the back of a spoon, the PinPress offers an alternative printmaking method that is more artist involved, yet not tedious. The success of the PinPress lies in its manufacture: a precision machined roller, and durable all metal construction (save the cushioned hand grips). Designed for printing monotypes, it’s also wonderful for monoprinting intaglio, lithograph and relief plates. This hands on printmaking tool emphasizes the painterly quality inherent in monotypes.

Printing monotypes with the PinPress

1. Develop your image on a thin, smooth surfaced plate. Avoid heavy applications of ink that will create blobs when pressure is applied.
    
2. Place the plate on a super level surface—we recommend _” or thicker tempered plate glass.
    
3. Lay your printmaking paper onto the plate. If you are using moistened paper, cover with an absorbent blotter (Viva brand paper towels are great blotters for small plates). Add a soft felt blanket for printing intaglio plates or adding chine collé.
    
4. Apply pressure by rolling completely across the plate, being careful not to cut across the plate with the edge of the roller. Lift a corner of the paper to check the transfer—keeping one hand lightly pressing the other half of the paper to the plate to keep the paper/plate registration.
    
5. Apply additional pressure with the roller as needed. Rolling up and down, then side to side, will enhance the plate mark. Lift and check a corner again before pulling paper from plate.

Tips for printing Akua Kolor with the PinPress

• Add Akua Kolor Tack Thickener and print to dry paper! Tack Thickener increases viscosity for greater color density, as well as allows the ink to release from the plate with the very lightest of pressure. Tack Thickener also keeps the ink on the surface of the paper so that it remains vibrant after it dries (haziness upon drying indicates the ink has soaked into the paper).
   
• For roll-ups, use 1 part ink to 1 part Tack Thickener. In dry climates, if you find the ink too tacky (pulls back off the plate as you roll), reduce the tack thickener.
   
• Be sure to experiment with multiple plate drops—these inks build incredible intensity with each successive layer. As a general rule, print yellow, red, then blue layers.
   
• For painted monotypes, prime the paper with Akua Oil Converter before printing. Priming the paper will help the ink release onto the paper during the printing process. To prime the paper, remove a portion of Akua Oil Converter from the jar and mix it with an ink knife until smooth. With the use of a brayer, roll the smooth Akua Oil Converter out on a glass slab. When the roller is evenly covered, roll and transfer the Akua Oil Converter directly onto the paper. Then simply paint Akua Kolor on the plate and transfer the image on the primed paper with the use of the PinPress.

Printing plates
Just about any smooth, non-porous surface will work—from butcher paper to plastic. Thinner plates are easier to roll onto with the PinPress --1/16” polycarbonate plastic is ideal.

Sand or scrape off any burr the plate has around the edges (a burr or raised edge won’t allow the roller to apply pressure to the plate surface—suspect a burr if you see a halo around the edge).

Press beds for Printing with the PinPress
If you have a heavy glass table top, you’re set. Otherwise, you can order tempered plate glass from a glass retail outfit. In any case, you need a truly flat surface for successful printing.

Most table tops, laminated surfaces, and plexi-glass aren’t as flat as they appear. You can easily check a surface by rolling a PinPress across it. Any gaps that appear between the roller and the surface indicates an uneven surface—these areas will not receive pressure during printing.

For optimum leverage, have the surface used as a press bed slightly lower than hip level.

Paper
Use a smooth surfaced, absorbent paper such as Arches 88 or Hahneumhle Monotype Paper. Smooth surfaced sized papers such as Magnani Pescia can be soaked to soften the surface, then blotted thoroughly.

Registration
For quick and easy registration, place a piece of paper the same size as that you are going to print to under the glass press bed. Simply center your plate over it. Then as you drop your printmaking paper over your plate, line it up with the paper under the glass.
 

Cleaning up
Akua Kolor and modifiers clean up easily with water. We recommend using a damp cloth for cleaning glass counter tops and rollers. To clean stained plastic plates and rollers use liquid dish detergent or cleanser

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TROUBLE SHOOTING
 

Ink is not releasing from plate to dry paper.

• Apply more pressure
• Try different papers
• Add Retarder to the ink

Akua Kolor rolled on to the plate feels too stiff

• Add Retarder to the ink

Colors on finished prints dry hazy.

• Add less Retarder, Blending Medium, or Extender to the ink

Color beads-up on plate.

• Clean plate with soapy water before using
• Add less Retarder or Extender to the ink
• Add a drop of liquid dish detergent to ink
• Apply a thin coat of liquid dish detergent to brush and paint over the beaded area

Rubber Brayer is sliding when rolling-up.

• Add less ink to the plate.

Ink is too thin when doing a roll up

• Thicken with Tack Thickener or Air Thicken
• Use a Foam Brayer
• Select color with more intense transparency rating
• Try Akua Intaglio water-based ink

Ink is too thin for brushing

• Allow Akua Kolor to sit on an uncovered palette till it thickens

Puddling of ink occurs with Needle Applicator:

• Wipe the bead of ink off by running the tip over a piece of paper before placing on the plate
• Use a plate with a dull surface opposed to slick
• Flip the needle to the opposite direction while drawing
• Mix a small amount of Tack Thickener to the ink before filling the bottle

Print needs to be dampened for final intaglio plate

• Spray the back of the print with water

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WOODCUTS/LINOCUTS
 

Western Roll-up Method

Thicken Akua Kolor with the addition of Tack Thickener for rolling up woodcuts or linocuts. Akua Kolor is more transparent than traditional block printing inks, making it ideal for printing multi-color-registered blocks.

Traditional Japanese Hanga Method

When doing the Japanese technique, use Akua Kolor like watercolor and mix it on the wood block with water and a little wheat paste or methylcellulose. The amount of each depends on the color you want, the moisture already in the paper and on the brush, and the humidity. Brush it out with a stiff horsehair brush and lay paper on top, then rub the back of the paper with a baren. It takes some practice to get the balance of moisture right so the color goes cleanly into the paper. Note: The addition of wheat paste or methylcellulose on the block is optional.

April Vollmer printing a Japanese Hanga Woodblock.
 

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CREATING DIRECTLY ON PAPER
 

We recommend using the Akua-Kolor Pens for creating directly on paper. The Akua-Kolor Pen has a unique valve dispensing system that allows the user to apply a thin coat of ink that will dry on the paper within hours. Heavier brushstrokes on paper may take several weeks to dry. Drying time may also depend upon humidity conditions.

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© 1999 Rostow & Jung All Rights Reserved.