The Yupo Matrix

Yupo and Watercolor Monotype

Materials:

• Yupo white 74lb smooth finish
• Gum Arabic
• Watercolors [Most Daniel Smith work very well, run a test with the colors before painting a masterpiece. No test needed for Lyra and Caran D’ache WC crayons, Pacific Arc WSG Graphite stick, Cretacolor Graphite Aquarelle pencils, watercolor markers] [Guache does not work, all wc media must be able to be re-wet][Metallics do not like to release.]
• Printmaking Paper [numerous tests done with BFK [20 min soak at least] and Lenox [1.5 min soak]]

Basic principle:

Buff Yupo with a small amount of shop grade, gum Arabic. Paint with watercolor on the Yupo and let it dry. Wet paper, such as Lenox or BFK, soaking for usual required time. Place it on the plate and run through the press. The wet paper reactivates the watercolor and it transfers to the paper. The Yupo plate can be washed off and used many times. [Hint: the gum Arabic aids in the release of the watercolor since it is so water soluble.]

Yupo and Digital Transfer

Materials:

• Yupo white 74lb smooth finish
• Inkjet printer, straight feed, photo quality – I am using Epson stylus photo R3800, Epson Claria or Ultrachrome inks
• Gum Arabic
• Golden Digital Ground for Nonporous Surfaces

Basic principle:

Inkjet ink is just fancy watercolor. Coat the Yupo with a small amount of gum Arabic and digital ground for non porous surfaces. Let dry. Feed through inkjet printer. Place wet paper on plate and run through press to transfer image.

Yupo, Watercolor Monotype, and Digital Transfer

Materials:

• Yupo
• Watercolors [see above]
• Inkjet printer
• Gum Arabic
• Golden Digital Ground for Nonporous Surfaces

Basic principle:

Coat the Yupo with a small amount of gum Arabic and digital ground for non porous surfaces [about 2 tsp gum and 2 tsp digital ground]. Let dry. Paint with watercolors and let dry. Run through inkjet printer. Place on press and print with wet paper.

Yupo and Collagraph

Materials:

• Yupo white 74lb smooth finish
• Thin paper, acrylic mediums, dimensional paint, scraps and bits of things
• Gloss clear acrylic spray

Basic Principle:

Collage materials on Yupo support. Keep it thin. Let dry. Spray with gloss clear acrylic. Let dry. Ink Intaglio style and print with a press and wet paper generally under etching pressure.

Yupo Collagraph and Digital Transfer

Materials:

• Same as above with the addition of Golden Digital Ground for Non Porous Surfaces

Basic principle:

As above, except once the plate is inked and wiped, squirt on the digital ground [about a tablespoon depending on the size of the plate] and lightly spread over the surface of inked plate with a brush. Let it dry. [The water-based digital ground will not disturb the oil based ink and will dry on the surface protecting the oil based ink from disruption.] It can then be put through an inkjet printer and the whole thing printed with wet paper and a press.

Special notes

• Not all plates need to be 8.5 by 11 Inches. A simple jig can be constructed of cardstock to put shaped plates and smaller plates through the printer.
• Take a piece of cardstock and put it through the printer printing the image to be transferred. Creating tape t’s from blue masking tape firmly attach the plate in the desired spot on the image on the cardstock. Feed the cardstock with the plate through the printer.
• Keep your collagraph thin. Thick is just messy and will never get through a printer.
• This method does not damage the printer. Repeated printing may make a slight mess, so occasionally send a blank piece of paper through the printer to soak up any excess ink.
• Transparencies for transfer may be created with the same small amount of gum and digital ground. Coat Xerox transparency, and put them through the inkjet printer. These are much more controllable then commercially made inkjet transparencies as commercial do not always work to transfer.
• ImageOn or ZAcryl may be adhered and developed on the Yupo for a photo collagraph. You can also put these through the printer.
• The Yupo is thin enough to create Collagraphs by using a sewing machine to create a texture to print from. Hint: add acrylics mediums etc. after sewing otherwise the needle gets stuck in the acrylic.
• Digital images and wc monotypes may be layered on top of each other. Drying the image between printings is helpful. Dip before printing the next layer, careful to blot on newsprint to protect towels or blotters.