Bike : Chine collé

Chine Collé with Michelin Guide: Mary Payne

 As I have explained in an earlier post,  Chine collé is a technique in which one can affix a piece of paper ( usually colorfast Japanese tissue paper)  under a print so that it becomes the background as the print is laid down. 

Being in France, old Michelin guides are easy to come by so I cut up a piece of the map and glued it with traditional glue starch to make this print. My plate had already been prepared as an aquatint of a bike and shadow inked in black. 

Just the printing process required that I:

1.  Wet the paper and the map thoroughly and set it between two sheets of old newsprint to soak for 10 minutes. 

2.  Inked my copper "plaque" with oil based black, wiped it with three different pieces of tarlatan and hand wiped the plate and set it aside. 

3.  Soaked the BFK Rives receiving paper for about 10 minutes,  dried it with a towel on both sides until it was damp.

4.  Spread glue with a brush... onto the damp paper surpassing the area of the print.  

5.  Removed the damp piece of map and placed it face down on top of the inked copper plate. 

6.  Centered the plate on the press and then measured off the amount of margin I wanted on each side in order to center the paper. 

7.  Dropped the paper on top of the plate (and map piece) and placed the blankets ("linge")over the whole. 

8.  Turned the crank on the press to run the plate through the press. 

9.  Slowly peeled back the paper (in case the glue was not adhering to the paper) and pulled off the print. 

The second time I tried the traditional paper which  is finer than traditional tissue paper to be used under the inked plate.  This time I spattered it with ink before using it.  Next time I will use a wash of acrylic instead of ink because that will not mix with the glue.  I was being absent minded again when I grabbed for the ink.   Also I needed to dry the finished print between two sheets of blotter paper under a pile of books for at least a week.  I didn't do that either and so I have a ripple in the middle.  I will have to rewet it and try again.  Print making teaches Buddhist "mindfulness" if you stay at it long enough. 

Chine collé : Mary Payne