This research into intaglio printing, its materials and
techniques, deals with the three main conservation
problems specific to the process. They are: acidity of
the paper, buckling and/or tearing along the printed edge
of the plate caused by excess pressure during printing,
and yellow/brown staining, or halo, around the printed
image. Research done in the cause of this study reveals
that these problems are not confined to contemporary
printmaking practices, as believed by some conservators,
but can be traced back to the historic beginnings of the
Intaglio Printing.
The results of the analyses and tests performed in this
investigation indicate that these problems can be
partially, if not completely, eliminated by simple and
inexpensive improvements to the process of printing.
1 - An alkaline solution, used to dampen the paper prior
to printing, will act as a buffer, making the paper
resistant to future attack from acids. Importantly, it
will also accelerate the drying of the ink, which is
essential to the production of a thick solid ink-film.
2 - Excessive pressure during printing destroys the
natural resilience of the paper within the printed area
and should be kept to a minimum. Plates that have not
been bevelled sufficiently can also be very harmful to
the paper, cutting and/or tearing paper fibres. These
problems are not visually evident after printing, but are
ultimately very detrimental to the life of the print.
3 - The traditional method of drying prints, between
blotters and under weight, is a major cause of the
yellow/brown staining, or halo, formed around the printed
image. The vehicle in the ink, a product of linseed oil,
normally dries by polymerization and oxidation reaction
with oxygen from the atmosphere. Press-drying retards this
reaction causing the paper to absorb part of the vehicle.
Air-drying accelerates the drying process, producing a
much thicker and stronger ink-film and reducing absorption
of the vehicle into the paper. Although air-drying will
produce buckling, this can be easily remedied after seven
days by dampening the print and press-drying.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219421 |
| Date | January 1989 |
| Creators | Vergara, Jose, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Applied Science |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Jose Vergara |
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