How is a stone lithograph made?

Watch a short video on this amazing process.

This 4 1/2 minute video shows how Steve creates a stone impression.

watch video 
shorter download time, smaller mp4 file

watch video
longer download time, larger mp4 file

You'll receive your own free copy of this DVD with your purchase of any stone impression artwork by Steve Scheibe.

Special thanks to Randall Pullar, creator of this video, for his amazing ability to show and tell a story in moving visual imagery with sound.

Special thanks to Craig Cornwall of Trilobite Press for his many years collaborating with Steve Scheibe in printing stone impressions, and for his cooperation in creating this video.

Stone Lithography copyright 2009

  

Can't download a video?

Here below is a still-photo version describing the prococess of creating a stone impression.

The surface of a thick piece of Bavarian limestone is ground and polished in preparation for the artist's drawing. The artist draws the image on the limestone surface using wax-based crayons, which contain natural greases. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here artist Steve Scheibe draws by candle light at Trilobite Studio. He prefers to illuminate his model with a single, strong light source.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wherever the crayons mark the stone, it becomes grease-loving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The rest of the stone is treated so that it becomes water-loving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the stone is sponged with a thin film of water...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and rolled with a greasy ink, the ink only sticks to the artist's drawing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each print must be inked in this manner and pulled through the press to transfer the ink to the paper. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So much pressure...like a huge squeegee...pushes the ink into the paper. (Craig Cornwall in photo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The artwork is revealed...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

View this edition in the gallery

This series of paper objects printed on tissue, is about illusions.

See the finished artworks in Steve's gallery by clicking on the photo at right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How does the artist print multiple colors? 

The artist must draw a separate image for each color. If there are three colors, there must be three separate drawings. Each drawing is printed in sequence and alignment in different colored ink. The piece of paper must go through the press once for each color or drawing.

Steve Scheibe works with Craig Cornwall, master printer of Trilobite Workshop.