try to do the kitchen litho

The last few days I had been gearing up to this. It was my turn to try "Kitchen Lithography." The video looked pretty straight forward. You simply gathered your materials, followed the steps, and you would have an inexpensive way to make repeatable hand-burnished prints. These would be items you could find in your kitchen, such as aluminum foil, oil, and water. (Double click on images to see larger)

     Well, there was more to the process than the video shows. See the results of my first try, above. That was Friday evening after work.

     The next morning, Saturday, I went online to learn more. There were several folks trying to unlock the steps to the same video. I picked up some tips from the kitchen litho thread posted at Inkteraction (http://www.inkteraction.ning.com). As a result I went out to buy an 8 inch aluminum flashing at Warren Lumber in our town. It was 85 cents per foot. I also bought 220 grit wet sandpaper and some heavy duty aluminum foil. That afternoon, after three hours of labor, here are the images I produced.

I was unhappy with these images. 
Let me show you some of the process.

(Above) Heavy duty foil, taped to backside of a pan, wet sanded with 220 grit sandpaper, flushed with water, blown dry with hair dyer, vinegar sensitized, dried, litho crayon drawn image, spritzed with water sprayer, skimmed very lightly with sponge, slowly inked with brayer (thin layer of oil paint), spritzed with water, skimmed lightly with sponge, inked again.

One secret is the 5 to 7 second coke etch, which is quickly rinsed with water. Click on short video.

I was used to working with water soluble products. Working with oil paint got my hands all messy. One useful tip was to wash my hands with toothpaste and that did the trick. I discovered that canola oil and a paper towel easily removed the oil paint on foil and the plexiglass plate I had underneath the flashing. A pair of disposable rubber gloves kept my hands clean. Click on video.

One Iowa participant, Aaron Scott, said that areas can be reworked, re-etched, and cleaned up. When my energy ran out Saturday afternoon, I gave it up. I would like to learn more. In the future I want to read more about the successes and get more tips from the online KLF club (Kitchen Litho Frustration club). 

Best efforts yet. Used petroleum jelly on prepared aluminum flashing.
Double click on images.

See what others are saying about Kitchen Litho below.
+
http://poppenga.blogspot.com/2011/11/aluminum-foil-etching.html

+ 

http://www.printeresting.org/2011/09/17/viva-los-videos-kitchen-lithography/

+ 

http://ldeandyment-soiwasthinking.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-attempt-at-kitchen-lithography.html

+ 

http://smidgeonpress.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/kitchen-litho-a-non-toxic-print-process-for-your-home<
+
http://poppenga.blogspot.com/2011/12/kitchen-lithography-once-again.html?showComment=1324855644363#c2323348013237230082

Kitchen Lithos by Emilie Brounard

This seven minute video by Emilie Aizier Brounard is fantastic. She has created a process whereby you can make original litho prints using common household items, including aluminum foil, soap, cola, rapeseed or canola oil, and water. Watch the video and try it out with your students. Her process creates multiple impressions on either a metal press bed or by hand burnishing.
On her forum page, July 6th, Emilion says, "The bite is like the effect of light aquatint which will retain water in the sponge, making a cushion of water that repels the greasy ink roller." Her website is Art Emilion at http://www.art-emilion.fr/. 

Ms. Brounard says she has been a print maker for 13 years. She did her Beaux-arts at Higher School of Art Lorraine "Ecole de l'Image" in Epinal, France. In 1999 she learned more about etching, lithography, and typography at the Graphic Art Center in La Bruyere Metaire. In 2006 she studied stone lithography with Jacques Fémonville, master litho printmaker. She teaches Etching and Drawing at the School of Visual Arts Pablo Picasso in the Urban Community of Niort. She lives near by in the city of Poitiers. She says she is one hour and thirty minutes from Paris by train (TGV). Niort is also close to the city of Bordeaux, and La Rochelle.  

This video link came to my attention through fellow print maker Jean-Marc Couffin, Marseille, France. His work can be seen at  http://jmcouffin.com