Viscosity Monotype

Image 1 and Image 2

Well I tried this the other day with Akua inks and it was fairly successful. Viscosity printing is basically inking one plate with inks of varying viscosities and running it through the press once. The key is to use inks that are different (one thick ink, one thin) so when rolling up one ink after the other, you don't pick up the first color with the 2nd roll since the varying viscosities prevent them from mixing. On Image 2 on the right, I used a foam stamp rolled up with Akua Intaglio Payne's Gray and stamped it on my Plexiglas. Then on my inking plate, mixed several drops of Akua Kolor Hansa Yellow with a drop of retarder, and then rolled up over the stamped pattern. The roll of yellow didn't pick up the Akua intaglio and I think it printed quite nicely. I tried printing using the opposite method (Image 1)--a roll of Akua Kolor first, then stamped with the Akua Intaglio, and it seemed to work just as well. The Payne's Gray printed slightly yellowish since the yellow printed on top of the gray.

Image 2, ghost

I printed a ghost with the plate used for Image 2, pictured here.

Image 2, 2nd ghost with additional
green rolled on before printing.

Then I rolled up again with green and printed the ghost a second time. The pattern is very subtle and I really like this one.

3rd ghost with roll of Akua Release Agent

This is the same plate used in the print above, no additional ink, only a roll of Akua Release Agent on the plate. Wow! Look how much ink was still on my plate!