Printmaking in the Sun [Paperback]

Dan Welden (Author), Pauline Muir (Author), Dan Weldon (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0823042928 | ISBN-13: 978-0823042920 | Publication Date: January 1, 2001

A highly expressive and versatile art medium is thoroughly examined in the first book ever devoted to the revolutionary solarplate printmaking process. In its great flexibility, this process gives artists a safe way to create professional-quality prints that resemble etchings, woodcuts, lithographs, screenprints, or photos. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photos are provided. Images by famous contemporary artists show the diverse ways of working in this rewarding medium.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Printmaking in the Sun introduces a revolutionary new printmaking technique known as the solarplate method, first developed in 1972 by one of the book's authors, Dan Welden. He had begun experimenting with light-sensitive polymer plates in place of traditional metal plates, which frees the artist from exposure to poisonous lead fumes. To make a solarplate print, one creates a piece of artwork on film, overlays it on a solarplate, and exposes the film and plate together in the sun. The drawing is transferred to the plate, which is then developed in ordinary tap water. The resulting image appears in the same orientation as the original drawing. This book exhaustively covers the techniques of solarplate printing, describing how to use the proper equipment and materials, prepare relief and intaglio images, make and print relief and intaglio plates, expose your work to the sun, use digital images and photogravure, and work with color printing. The book is generously illustrated with color and black-and-white solarplate images by accomplished artists, as well as clear step-by-step illustrations depicting how to prepare and process your images and plates. The book also contains a comprehensive glossary, selected further reading, and list of suppliers in the United States and Australia. The innovative techniques described in Printmaking in the Sun form an enormous resource of versatile, imaginative applications. Artists of all levels will appreciate the fluidity of creative expression inherent in such a simple and immediate process. --Mary Ribesky

From Library Journal

The first printmakers were cave people who painted their hands and slapped them against cave walls. Today, printmakers like Ayres still use methods nearly as simple. Others, like printmaker and painter Welden, have created completely new processes, like his solarplate method. Monotypes, the subject of Ayres's book, are created by applying oil- or water-based paint to a flat plate. By pressing a dampened sheet of paper to the plate, a single print is made. The earliest such prints go back to Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, around 1640. Later, Degas and Gauguin experimented with the method. Today, there is a virtual explosion of new ways to create monotypes. Ayres explores the work of a variety of such artists, who demonstrate imaging techniques, masks, stencils, collage, and mixed-media prints. The results vary from traditional images to eccentric, colorful fantasies. In 1972, Welden discovered that polymer printers' plates could be used in printmaking by exposing them to the sun. Draw on a transparency, place it over the plate, expose it to the sun, and the plate is, in effect, etched for printing. The method is now widely used, and Welden and Muir have produced the first book on this extremely versatile art. Both books are highly recommended.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823042928
• ISBN-13: 978-0823042920
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #594,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear instructions for a smart approach to printmaking, May 15, 2005

By 

Hubies Brother "Printmaker" (NY State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Printmaking in the Sun (Paperback)

Welden created the solar plate technique, and it's clearly today's smart way to make fine art prints. No acid, no fumes, no health issues. Solar plates are developed in plain water, and produce top quality images. The authors' (Weldon's co-author is Aussie artist Pauline Muir) instructions are clear, direct, and succinct. A practical guide for both novices and seasoned printmakers. Welden is a top-notch artist and printmaker, and his is the only book yet available on this advanced printmaking methodology.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - possibly the best resource on solarplate printing, January 30, 2007

By 

Brian Asquith - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Printmaking in the Sun (Paperback)

My over-riding impression after having just put this book down is "Why can't all How-to art books be of this quality?". Along with printing I also dabble with oils, watercolours, acrylics, pen and ink, and charcoal. As a self taught artist i find books to be a major source of my knowledge. With 250 art related books littering my shelves Welden's book is top of the pile. It is superbly written, passing on valuable knowledge of use to both the beginner and the more experienced printmaker. His co-author Pauline Muir is a trained scientist and maybe she's the reason for the straight-to-the-point approach as opposed to the fluff that litters so many other art books. Welden opens with an overview of the chemical mechanisms involved in the solarprint process. And then moves on to the details of what type of plate to buy, cutting, storing, exposure, materials etc. The relief and intaglio processes are covered next, in depth from creating the intial image through to printing the plates. Digital imaging, photogravure and various approaches for colour printing follow. Numerous tips are presented. An extensive list of eqpt suppliers is also provided. The book is well illustrated throughout and printed on good quality paper. Another excellent book from Watson & Guptill. Absolutely 100% recommended for anyone interested in the solarplate method.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very complete and easy to follow, January 23, 2006

By 

Chris Henderson (Birmingham, AL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Printmaking in the Sun (Paperback)

Great book. He covers all the material in depth but manages to keep it easy to follow for the novice printmaker with clear, well illustrated, step by step instructions. The process of printmaking is much more enjoyable without having to deal with acids, fumes and the related health issues.