Century Plate Lithography

Century Plates are a sustainable and very affordable alternative to traditional ball- grained litho plates. They are light and portable, but can be re-grained and re-used like lithographic limestones. The graining process is much faster and easier and can be tailored to fit the drawing materials to be used. You can create a coarser finish for washes, an all-purpose finish or a fine finish for light crayon drawing, that is very similar to the surface of a litho stone.

In this process, harmful acids, solvents, lacquers and petroleum-based products are replaced by sustainable, bio-based, biodegradable materials. Professional results can be achieved without using materials that are harmful for us and our planet. Century Plates can also be coated with Posi-Coat, a non-toxic, positive-working photo emulsion for exposing and printing photographic and digital images. Century Plates can be printed on a litho press or an etching/relief press.

Century Plate lithography was invented by Professor Dwight Pogue and Skip Klepacki of C.S. Pogue Graphics. A Tamarind Institute-trained lithographer, I have been working almost exclusively with Century Plates since I first met Dwight and Skip in 2015. I continue to work on developing materials and techniques for the process, applied with a Tamarind methodology. We have created Lemon Plate Cleaner, a non- toxic alternative to Finisher Preserver Cleaner. I helped lead a Century Plate demonstration with Dwight and Skip at Zea Mays Printmaking in Florence, MA back in April of 2016 and have been teaching and demonstrating the process ever since: at my workshop, Cherry Press and elsewhere, including Bennington College, Brandeis University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop and Worcester Art Museum's studio school.

The Century Plate process allowed me to return to plate lithography at Cherry Press and still keep the studio predominantly non-toxic. This technique has had a very positive influence on my own artistic work as a printmaker. The simplicity of use and ability to easily re-grain Century Plates has opened up my practice to making more fluid, gestural work and has encouraged experimentation.

Contact me to discuss scheduling a demonstration or workshop at your art center, printshop, college, university or to arrange a private, tutorial at Cherry Press or your studio.