Tetra Pak is a company that is well known for it's drinks carton invention. This is carboard packaging that has a coated inner to keep it waterproof. Printing using these cartons to create plates has become a popular form of printing and is super easy to do.
It is a cross between collagraph and drypoint.
The advantage over collagraph is that you don't need to varnish it. The disadvantage over a drypoint plate is that your tetra pak plate will eventually fall to pieces.
It isn't for everybody as it takes on the natural creases of the container which might not be what you want. You can cut out reasonable sized plain panels however so experiment with the size of your plate and where the creases might be placed. You can also add more creases to it by scrunching it up before you start mark making.
Creating your plate
Get yourself a drinks carton and cut it open carefully using scissors. Wash your cartons surface with soapy water to get rid of any remaining milk. Find yourself some pointed tools for scoring into the silver surface. Don't use an abrasive sponge to clean your carton as it will leave scratches that show up when inked. But you might want to use one intentionally to add texture to your plate. If you look at the finished print below you will see sponge scratches in the centre of the image. I can't complain though as they were donated to me by someone who kindly did that part for me.
Scratch into the surface using your pointed tools. Experiment with your mark making.
You can also remove some of the waterproof surface. This will hold the ink when you ink the plate up and will print a darker colour.
To do this score a slightly deeper mark making sure to create a shape that has a line all the way round. Use you pointed tool to pick at the inside shape until you get enough to pull up. The silver layer of card will peel away. Go carefully to make sure you don't peel away something you don't want to.
This is good for borders around your image.
This is the finished plate ready to ink up.
Inking up your plate
First choose your ink. You want to be using the relief ink for this process.
The relief inks are the 5 on the right with the yellow labels. Choose your colour.
Squeeze out a small amount of ink onto the plastic mixing board and add a drop of vegetable oil. I have used a little too much oil here but it still worked fine. You just want to loosen the ink off a bit. Don't worry if you don't have enough ink. You can always mix a bit more to add. It is oil based so takes a while to dry properly.
Use a mixing knife to get the oil and the ink well blended.
Take a piece of card and spread the ink onto your plate. Spread it all over and push it well into the bits where you have peeled out paper.
So it look like this. You don't need a huge amount on as you will be rubbing in and removing some.
Get a piece of fabric and ball it up. Get your piece of scrim and wrap it over your ball of fabric to make a nice pad.
Use a piece of tissue to hold your plate while you use circular motions with your scrim pad to rub the ink into all your marks. Don't be too rough.
Then get a sheet of tissue and press down with the heel of your hand and twist it to start removing your ink.
As your tissue gets too dirty swap it for a new piece.
This is what it should look like when it has been inked and cleaned back. You will have to play with how much ink you leave on. I usually find I can get two prints out of each inking. One darker one and one lighter one. I like doing this as it always gives you a choice for a favourite.
Printing your plate
This is the press you are going to be using.
Peel back the felt and drape it over the roller. Put a piece of newsprint on the metal bed and put your tetra pak plate onto it.
Get a piece of cartridge paper and put it on top of your plate. I am using dry cartridge paper here.
Put another piece of newsprint on top of it. Here I've used one piece and folded it over. You need newsprint top and bottom of anything you do to protect the felt and the press from any excess ink which can ruin your work and that of others.
Carefully flap down the felts making sure they are smooth. Turn the big wheel to move the bed through the press. Keep checking to see if it has rolled far enough.
Carefully peel back your paper from your plate and put to dry in the drying rack.
This was the first print.
This was the second print from the same inking.
If you want to use a thicker watercolour paper it is a good idea to wet it first. Dip it into the water tray. Make sure it is all wet then lift it out, let it drip then put it between blotting paper.
Please make sure your hands are clean before touching the blotting paper as this can mess up your prints and those of others. Push down on the stack of blotting paper to absorb the water. You might have to leave it for a while. Check to make sure you can't see any water shining on the paper. This means it is still too wet to use.
This will give another different quality of print. Experiment with different papers and see what you like. Bonington shop sells or sorts of papers for you to try. Try
Your plate doesn't have to be square
Because a tetra pak is easily cut with scissors you can make your plate any shape that you want. And you can cut it up and colour each piece differently.
So Tetra Pak or Drypoint?
Below I will show you the difference between the type of print you get from dry point and the type of print you get from a tetra pak plate. There is no definitive though, prints are what you make them.
This is a dry point plate done using aluminium.
This is your tetra pak plate.
This is the type of print you can get from a dry point plate.
This is the type of print you can get from a Tetra Pak plate.
Hope you have a go at some of this printing and see what you can do.
Produced by Paula