The Wonders of Wintergreen Oil
The Rader Low-Tech Photo Etch
by Lisa Rader


Introduction
The Rader Low-Tech Photo Etch is a low-toxic, easy-to-learn process. It does not require a darkroom, photo-sensitive plate, or any photo chemicals. It can be done in a fraction of the time required to perform traditional photo intaglio techniques.

Wintergreen oil breaks down asphaltum. The oil penetrates through the white areas of your negative photocopy and loosens the asphaltum in those areas on your plate. Paper, acting as a sponge, will then pick up the asphaltum as the back of the copy is burnished. The photocopy toner will act as a stop-out and prevents the oil from penetrating through the paper to the plate in those areas.

Wintergreen oil may also be used to achieve other effects, including alternative approaches to traditional soft ground and sugar lift.

Rader Low-Tech Photo Etch
Materials:

•Wintergreen oil (aka methyl salicylate or synthetic wintergreen oil)
•Negative xerox/laser-printed copy of your image
•Zinc Plate
•Asphaltum
•Mineral Spirits
•Sponge (Foam) brush
•Wooden spoon (burnisher)
•Tape
•Clean rag

(A few words of caution: wintergreen oil is mildly toxic. Please read the warnings printed on the bottle before using it for this or any other purpose.)

Procedure:

1. To start, degrease your plate by massaging Ajax or whiting onto the surface, followed by a good rinsing.

2. Next you will need liquid asphaltum, mineral spirits, and your sponge brush. In a clean container, dilute your asphaltum with mineral spirits until the color resembles that of tea. The consistency should be that of milk. Apply a THIN layer of this cut solution to your plate. It is important to have a clean, thin layer without any evident brush strokes. To achieve this, make light, quick passes over your plate with an amply charged sponge brush. Allow your plate to air dry or to set up on a hot plate. (See figure 1.)

3. After your asphaltum has dried, cut the negative xerox copy of your image down to your plate size. Tape the copy, face down, to the plate, making sure that the tape is not covering any area of your image. (See figure 2.)

4. Dab a SMALL amount of wintergreen oil onto a rag using your index finger and then blot the back of the copy. Be careful not to use too much wintergreen, or it will soak through your paper and puddle, obliterating your image. (See figure 3.)

5. Hand burnish the back of the copy with a wooden spoon or Japanese burnisher. Use moderate pressure. The wintergreen oil will penetrate the white areas of your image to loosen the asphaltum beneath, and your paper will act as a sponge to absorb it. During burnishing, the back of the paper will turn a brownish color where the light areas of the copy are located. This indicates that the paper is picking up asphaltum from those areas of your plate, causing them to become "exposed." Repeat steps 4 & 5, as necessary.

6. Lift your paper copy up carefully; the oil will still be wet and has the potential to blur your image. Do not touch the areas of your plate that have been "lifted" by the wintergreen oil. (See figure 4.)

7. Place your plate in a 15:1 nitric acid bath to etch for 15-30 seconds to secure the information on your plate. (You do not have to wait for the wintergreen oil to dry; if you put your plate in the acid, the left-over oil residue will burn off). Tilt your plate to release the air bubbles caused by the action of the acid. DO NOT FEATHER OR BRUSH-YOU MAY DISTURB YOUR IMAGE!

8. At this point you may have to rosin aquatint your image if it has any large open areas. Continue to etch your plate in a 15:1 bath.

9. Ink up your plate and print in the traditional intaglio manner.

Suggestions
Experiment with your image on the photocopy machine:

1. Move your image as the machine is scanning it.
2. Take the copy of your original and copy that. Repeat. The image will
break down and become grainier-looking with each generation.
3. Make a collage of images and photocopy that.
4. Photocopy original art pieces.
5. Have a mirror image photocopy made.

There are a number of ways that you can manipulate your original image using a photocopy machine. Be sure to ask your photocopy representative about the different effects that may be achieved.

 


Figure 1

 

 

 


Figure 2

 

 


Figure 3

 

 


Figure 4

 

 


The finished product

Additional uses for Wintergreen Oil

An alternative to soft ground:
Using wintergreen oil to record textures

1. Pour a shallow/thin film (you do not want a puddle) of wintergreen oil onto your glass slab.

2. Rub your fabric into the wintergreen, making sure to cover the entire surface of your material. You do not want your fabric saturated with oil; it should be a thin coating that is barely noticeable.

3. Face oiled surface of your fabric to your asphaltumed plate.

4. Burnish fabric or send through an etching press.

5. Remove fabric. Use a blank piece of newsprint or computer printer paper to lift the loosened asphaltum up from your plate.

6. Secure the information onto your plate in a 15:1 nitric bath for 15-30 seconds. Aquatint (if necessary) and continue to etch.

Suggestion:
Dab a small amount of wintergreen oil onto a rag and smooth onto your skin to record every wrinkle and hair follicle!! Wintergreen oil is used medicinally as a liniment. HOWEVER, please read the warning label concerning the dangers of ingestion and contact with mucous membranes.

Using wintergreen oil as a drawing tool (an alternative to sugar lift.)
Paint or draw with small amounts of wintergreen oil onto your asphaltumed plate. Lightly burnish the back of a plain piece of paper to lift the asphaltum from your plate. Etch in a 15:1 nitric bath for 15-30 seconds to secure the information onto your plate. Aquatint (if necessary) and continue to etch.

How it works:
Wintergreen cuts asphaltum; it breaks it down much as mineral spirits do(without the level of toxicity). The paper acts like a sponge to absorb the asphaltum and cause it to lift. The results are similar to the sugar lift process; drawing with Wintergreen is gestural and painterly.

Suggestions:

1. Blot a sponge and use it as a drawing texture (you may also cut the sponge to a specific shape)
2. Blot a rag and use as a drawing tool
3. Dip a fountain pen into wintergreen oil and draw
4. Use your fingertip (be sure to read the warnings and cautions of using wintergreen)
5. Cotton swabs
6. Paint brushes
7. Put a small puddle of wintergreen on your plate and [using a straw] disperse the puddle (DO NOT INGEST WINTERGREEN OIL)
8. Rubber stamps or potato carvings

Using wintergreen oil with cut stencils

1. Cut a shaped stencil.
2. Place stencil on to asphaltumed plate.
3. Dab a small amount of wintergreen onto a rag.
4. Rub stencil with wintergreen to lift asphaltum.

Suggestion:
This works well with a text stencil. Simply turn the stencil backwards and rub up asphaltum with wintergreen oil. The reversed text will print forward.


Using stop-out drawings or collages
Wintergreen oil is able to penetrate through blank areas of paper and cut the asphaltum, paper then absorbs the asphaltum causing it to lift. Using this principal, you can create a drawing on a piece of paper using any material that will not be dissolved by the wintergreen oil (any wax-based material or physical barrier will do). Remember, the blank places on your drawing (the negative spaces) will be the areas that will lift. Face drawing towards your asphaltumed plate. Dab a rag with asphaltum and blot the back of your image. Burnish and then lift your paper.

Etch in a 15:1 nitric bath for 15-30 seconds to secure the information onto your plate. Rosin aquatint (if necessary) and continue to etch.

Note: Many of the techniques described here may also be applied to lithography.

Where to find wintergreen oil

Wintergreen oil (synthetic) may be purchased at most local pharmacies (usually 2 or 4 fl. ozs.). You may have to ask for it at the pharmacist's window.

NOTE: When wintergreen oil is purchased as an essential oil (used in massage or aroma therapies) it is very expensive and packaged in smaller amounts.

In the U.S.A. a gallon of wintergreen oil may be ordered by calling:
Aldrich Chemical: 1.800.558.9160

Note: A 2 fl. oz. bottle of wintergreen oil has lasted me three years.

To learn more about wintergreen oil

Consult your local pharmacist or log on to: www.botanical.com, www.alternativehealth.talk.com, or www.herbalmusings.com.


Troubleshooting

Problem: Asphaltum is not lifting
Solution: The asphaltum may have been too thickly applied to the plate. Cut the asphlatum/mineral spirits solution down more, clean your plate, and re-apply. One application of wintergreen oil to the back of your negative copy will not be enough. Reapply small amounts and continue to burnish. Repeat. The application and burnishing process should be approached in a layered, patient manner.

Problem: Image is blurry
Solution: Use less wintergreen oil with each layer of burnishing. You do not want to saturate the back of your photocopy with oil. A very small amount of oil goes a long way. Start with light pressure, then build. Do not use a metal burnisher, the pressure is too concentrated over a small area. Instead, use a wooden spoon or Japanese hand burnisher. Make sure you have a quality laser copy. There should be a wide range of grays. Large white areas will be hard to lift.

Problem: Image has streaks
Solution: Clean the plate, reapply thinned asphaltum solution with a foam/sponge brush only. Make light, quick passes over your plate. Do not apply the solution to a plate while it is heating on the hotplate. Make sure your copy is high quality. It is always a good policy to purchase more than one copy from a variety of copy shops before starting your plate.

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