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3D Printed Printing Plates

I used to make plate for relief printing by laser etching wood. When I got the Provisional Press I basically set it up optimized for working with 3mm plates, since I used 3mm Baltic Birch wood to make plates. Well, a decade ago I was playing around with 3D printed plates, so I figured it was time to revisit that idea.

First, a few advantages to 3D printing versus laser etching. Since the plates are only 3mm tall they print fairly quickly (at least compared to much taller 3D printed objects) and using the laser cutter involves being there watching it and running the (noisy) water pump, air assist, and exhaust fan. While the laser cutter is (usually) faster, you can just hit “Print” on the 3D printer and walk away. Come back later and you’ve got a plate!

Every plate I used for my January 2024 prints (over 40 at this point) was 3D printed.

For wood plates I would typically sand them and then coat with shellac, which is not completely necessary but can help with the top surface. With 3D printed plastic plates I turn on the ironing feature in the slicer software to give the topmost layer of the print a nice smooth surface. I do tend to sand the plastic plates as well, typically less than a minute with 400 to 800 grit sandpaper.

Ironing doesn’t always work perfect, so the sanding helps knock down any little imperfections on the top surface. Again, it’s not a lot of sanding, just enough so the surface looks smooth with no (or very few) imperfections. Of course the imperfections might be what you are going for! The one thing you’ll see in linocut prints is chatter. (Chatter is the unwanted printing caused by areas that were not cut away enough in a linocut.)

I think chatter adds character and sometimes it adds a lot to a print. Since 3D printing is an additive process there is no natural chatter like in linocut, but sometimes you do get a sort of reverse chatter where a print doesn’t have a perfect surface and you get interesting artifacts when using a 3D printed plate. I am 100% fine with that and I embrace it.

Now, 3D printing doesn’t always work. For small fine detail it can be tricky, especially depending on your 3D printer and how well tuned it is. Simple designs tend to work best, at least for the smaller plates I’ve been making. The laser cutter still wins for “thrown any image file at it set to etch” and it’ll probably work. For 3D printed plates you’ll also have issues with really fine lines. (Granted, fine lines can also be an issue with the laser cutter but they seem easier to fix.)

One more advantage of 3D printed plates is that I feel like the plastic will last forever (oh, maybe that’s a bad thing?) while the wood plates do seem to wear after repeated use and washing. Remember, the wood I use is thin Baltic Birch, not hardwood like letterpress.

As for the filament, I use plain old PLA. Often it’s MatterHackers MH filament, but I’ve used PolyMaker PolyTerra filament as well. Really any regular PLA should work just fine. Color doesn’t matter, but I ended up using white for a lot of plates because I had white filament loaded, and it is pretty easy to see the ink on the plate, unless it’s white ink of course.

I should note, I am very much about making things easy because that means I am more likely to do it. If making plates is a pain then I won’t want to do it. Laser etching the plates was a little bit of a pain, but not too bad. The thing I like about 3D printing the plates is that I can create the file and then send it to the printer and in about an hour I’ve got a plate. I don’t have to babysit the 3D printer the way I do the laser cutter, and I can easily make the back part of each plate exactly 1mm tall, unlike with the laser etched plates.

So right now I 3D print my plates, and have well over a dozen prints made this way, and they work quite well, which means I will keep doing it. Stay Printing!

One more thing… since we are using digital fabrication to create the plate not only can we make a replacement plate, but we can change the scale quite easily. This is an advantage over analog plate making methods where you create a plate by hand.

There’s another post that is more of a “How-To” for making 3D Printed Printing Plates using Inkscape and OpenSCAD, so check that one out as well.

Update: Someone asked if the plates are easy to clean. I use water-based inks so I just scrub in a sink with soap and hot water. Sometimes voids in the plate will get some ink in them that doesn’t come right out, but scrubbing with a toothbrush can help. Absolute worse-case since this is digital fabrication you can print a new plate.

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January Prints in Progress (Part IV)

This post is the fourth covering the prints I’ve made in January 2024. (See Part I, Part II, and Part III.) The idea was to create 30 prints in 30 days. (I know, January has 31 days.) I based this on Var Gallery‘s 30x30x30 Exhibition which I applied to, but alas, I was not accepted. No matter. I’ve made well over 30 prints in fewer than 30 days. Zing!

I am writing this on January 27th and right now I’ve got 41 prints done, and another four plates ready to go, so I’m going to guess the final total will be 45 prints. If you had asked me if I could create 45 prints in less than 30 days I don’t know that I would have said yes, but somehow I did it.

While I certainly made a lot of art, is it any good? Well, there are pieces I definitely really like, and at least a few people liked some pieces enough to offer me money for them, so that’s nice… But from a challenge standpoint, I would say I definitely enjoyed the challenge, and I can see a path forward with new art I want to create.

This month has been about creating a process that works for me. The process is one where I can work fairly quickly, but I’m also interested in slowing down. There is one design I worked on about a week ago and I haven’t finished it yet. Most of the designs were done in little time, sometimes it took less than 30 minutes to design something, produce the files, and then hit “Print” on the 3D printer so I would have a plate ready for later.

The “working really fast” method is great for kicking out ideas, but that refinement and iteration of ideas can get lost in the speed of moving fast. I think there were only a few designs where I made a second plate because something wasn’t quite right with the first one. Two were size issues and one or two were redesign issues.

I think what I’ve seen after creating all this art is that some ideas and methods and styles have emerged, and the next step is to push those further. I consider these all experiments to figure things out, and things did get figured out.

I think there’s a good variety of different pieces included in this post, and some of them are favorites of mine, and some mean something to me personally, and others are just “meh” because I don’t think I quite nailed it. It’s weird though, because I’ve somehow melded graphic design (with iteration) into a printmaking practice, which I don’t think people who do woodcut or linocut really deal with.

Alright, thanks for once again reading my rambles around art. I guess there will be one more post in this series since I’ve got a few more prints to do before the 31st rolls around. Stay Tuned!

See Also: Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part V.

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Modern Papermaking [Book]

I picked up the book Modern Papermaking by Kelsey Pike because I wanted to learn more about making paper. My first real papermaking adventure was back in May of 2023. Then I made more, and more and more and even made my own 3D Printed Mould and Deckle. (I actually made a few of them along the way.)

I should point out that I learned enough to try my first batch of paper by watching a lot of how-to videos, and read a number of posts online, and sort of fused all that together into something that would work for me. I think in whatever creative endeavor you pursue you need to do what works for you. For me that means using things I already have, trying to avoid purchasing new supplies, material, and equipment if I can get away with cheap alternatives or things I already own. At least to get started… If I find that what I have is not adequate I can always update and buy things if needed later on.

So the question is, could you as a beginner, get started making paper with just this book, Modern Papermaking? I think so. Kelsey covers the tools she uses in her studio, but also talks about the tools you could use at home to make paper. There’s also a lot of good knowledge in the book I did not get from videos or posts online, and for that alone I’d recommend it for beginners.

I don’t know for sure, but I feel like the Modern in the title might be a reference to another book. Arnold Grummer’s Complete Guide to Easy Papermaking. Grummer is a well known name in papermaking, and his book was published in 1999, so it is a bit dated… in some ways. I mean, making paper is an art that is over 2000 years old, right? Grumer’s book is good (I checked out a digital copy from my local library) but it feels very DIY and hacky, more about weird experimentation and trying anything, which I of course really like, but in contrast Kelsey’s book seems aimed more towards people who want to make nice paper.

Kelsey sells nice paper in her Etsy shop, and that means she’s making paper that is consistent in color and quality, since people are buying it to make nice things. (Check out Kelsey’s site at Sustainable Paper + Craft for lots of great items for sale and other good resources.

In contrast, I will probably never sell paper. I do like making it because I can use it for my printmaking practice and it helps recycled a lot of the paper in my own household. I will be making a batch for a friend who does daily drawings. I don’t know how it will perform yet but it will be interesting to see the results.

So yes, I would recommend Modern Papermaking by Kelsey Pike if you are interested in getting into making your own paper. Start with it, and then fill in with other resources (videos and posts you find online) and if you get stuck, get in touch and I’ll offer any advice I can!

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January Prints in Progress (Part III)

This post is the third covering the prints I’ve made in January 2024. (See Part I and Part II.) The idea was to create 30 prints in 30 days. (I know, January has 31 days.) I based this on Var Gallery’s 30x30x30 concept which I applied to, but alas, I was not accepted. No matter. I’ve made well over 30 prints in fewer than 30 days. Zing!

Throughout this month and this process I’ve definitely become better at printmaking. I’ve got a good feel for the ink now, and know how much needs to be applied, and have gotten much better at estimating the amount of ink needed, and better at mixing inks too. One of the things I was always proud about back when I was a screen printer is that I could almost always tell if there was ink on my hands, which mattered a lot when printing shirts for customers… (What’s that old saying “We had ink in our blood”?)

Some of these designs are purely digital, but many of them are hand drawn/traced from things I’ve printed out. Hand drawing introduces things that you just can’t get with the digital process. The thing is, I like both… and I will probably continue to use both. I’m okay with that. Back in 2023 I had this goal for 2024 to do more drawings… hand made drawings that is, not computer illustration. Oddly enough, this printmaking exercise has been the thing that kicked my drawing into gear, which is good.

I used to love drawing. (Most people/children did, right?) But for some reason I got away from it. I guess I could blame computers? I used to use a digital drawing tablet but it just never felt the same. As I’m using the Shaper Trace more and more I’ve come up with some interesting new ways to use it to capture drawings. I sometimes capture a drawing multiple times during the process to get different versions. I also draw different “layers” (sheets of paper) and then combine them digitally. I should also note I draw with felt tip pens, not pencils.

As far as style, I feel like I don’t have a style because I do so many different things. I never know if this is a problem. Some people who create art (you know, those “artists”) develop a style and go for it, and all of their work looks like that. I just have never done that, and much of my stuff tends to look different. Maybe I don’t like to be constrained? I also work in so many different mediums and do so many different things… I don’t know.

I read this interview with Ian Burke and he was asked why he did printmaking and he said “Coming from a working-class family in the North East I firmly believe in affordable art.” And you know what? I do too! I’ve sold some of these prints and would not mind selling more. People have paid anywhere from $10 to $50 because I’ve implemented a “pay what you want” model. If you want to buy a print and can pick it up, pay anything! If I need to ship it, you’ll need to cover the cost of shipping and then pay anything.

Just like with Gallery 69 the idea of “Art for the People” is a great idea, and one I want to help promote. Speaking of Gallery 69, none of these prints have gone in there yet, but some of the test prints will most likely find their way in there once the weather warms up…

Oh! One of the people who bought a print said “Wait, you made the paper?” and well, yes… I did make the paper. The batch I made in December lasted until about the second week of January, and I’ve made two more batches since then. (A batch is about 16 to 20 sheets.) I like making the paper, and it makes every print unique.

Speaking of unique, while the whole idea of printmaking is that you can make a whole bunch, the Var Gallery 30x30x30 requirements started that prints should be unique, not part of a series. I’ve mostly stuck to that idea. Each photo is the good print. Sometimes I’ll do two, and maybe three in some cases, but the one you see a photo of is the one print that turned out most acceptable.

You’ll also notice each print is framed. I figured that a frame piece of art is ready to go, and you can get it and just hang it on the wall or put it on a shelf. I’ve been guilty of getting a print and not getting it framed for nearly a year. This solves a problem I had and maybe other people have too. (All the frames are 3D printed, and I designed those as well.)

Anyway, I’ve really enjoyed this challenge, experiment, exploration… whatever it is. I’m extremely fortunate to be able to do it. Sure, I pushed other projects to the side, I spent a lot of time alone (which I need and like anyway) and I can definitely say I learned new things… new things about myself, about the art making and printmaking process, and about how I want to move forward with my own journey.

But wait! There’s one more… Sure, I’ve shared 32 prints so far, but there’s still a week left, and I have more prints coming, so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of… January Prints (2024 Edition)!

See Also: Part I, Part II, Part IV, and Part V.

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January Prints in Progress (Part II)

Have you already see January Prints in Progress Part I? This is Part II of the journey to create 30 pieces of art in 30 days in January 2024. Part I covered the basics of the project, so in Part II I’ll show the latest prints and talk about all sorts of random things.

I have been really enjoying this process. Each day I come up with one or more ideas, and either design something digitally or print out an image and do a bit of tracing and drawing and then digitize that and make a plate. The plates are all 3D printed for this project, which has also been a challenge (sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating) but overall I have a process that works for me.

These sorts of creative challenges where you need to create something every day can be rough. I remember discussing a photo challenge with someone where they took one photo every single day and they said there were a number of times it would be 11pm at night, they’d be exhausted, but still had to find the energy to be creative and come up with an idea and get a decent shot…

If you get sick or have unexpected things happen (you know, like a power outage, flat time, having to get an MRI) it can be difficult to prioritize being creative when you are just trying to survive! (Luckily this month has been pretty smooth so far… Fingers crossed!)

Even though this month has been pretty smooth, it still takes alot of time. For me I’ve found that if I can get in 30 to 45 minutes in the morning before going to work that helps move things along pretty well. January has been a slow month for sales and I’ve just sort of pushed off a few other projects I have been working on. They are still getting done, just a little bit slower…

Speaking of slower, while I do like the challenge of creating something new every single day, I sort of look forward to this project ending so I can slow down. Most of these prints are a single iteration of an idea. To me design has always been about iteration and continually trying to improve things, so there are a few prints that I think are (nearly) perfect, and some that could definitely benefited from a bit more time and versions.

Ideas can be like that though… sometimes you get an idea and BAM! That’s it! You nail it on the first attempt… Or so you think. Maybe doing a number of versions, playing around with it, pushing it, pulling it, and trying variations is something worth doing. Once this months is over I may take that approach.

Speaking of approaches, these are relief prints and not linocuts or woodcuts because I don’t actually cut anything. Carving plates is a subtractive process while 3D printing the plates is an additive process. I am not the first person to do this, but I think I’m definitely a person who has now done a lot of this. As I mentioned in the previous post these 3D printed plates have some pros and some cons, and I’ll probably follow up on that topic in another post.

I also had to make more paper because of all these prints. Luckily I’ve sort of got that process down and can make about 16 to 20 sheets in about an hour or so and they are dry and ready to use in about a day and a half or so. Sometimes I really like the paper I make and other times I think I should just use pre-made quality paper made for printmaking. I’ll probably continue to make paper in the future (perhaps experimenting more and trying to create higher quality paper).

I hope you’ve enjoyed this update. We’ve still got another 10 days to go, so expect more prints to come. If you are interested in acquiring one of these prints for your collection let me know. We’re still running a “pay what you want” model in the interest of getting more art out to more people… people like you!

See Also: Part I, Part III, Part IV, and Part V.