Toner Used in Drawing for Lithography

Lithographic drawing materials can come in pencil form, as well as ink and crayon.

Drawing materials for lithography relate to toner, specifically in that they are oil-based rather than water-based. Lithographs can have a wide variety of visual characteristics due to the range of materials that can be used to draw on the stone.

Materials

All lithographic drawing materials must be oil-based, often consisting of wax tallow fat. This component is necessary as the oil-based ink rolled over the image must stick to the drawing material.

Application

Some drawing materials come in crayon and pencil form, and are used directly on the surface. Others may be liquid and can be used with a brush, pen, or airbrush.

Consistency

Non-liquid drawing materials range from hard to medium to soft consistencies. Hard materials produce detailed drawings, while softer ones may be used for background textures.

Tusche

Tusche is a traditional lithographic drawing material. It can be applied as a crayon for a result like a charcoal drawing, or applied with a pen to create a more graphic line quality.

Purchasing

Fine art supply stores will often carry lithographic drawing materials, especially if there is a local active lithography program at a school. If not, numerous online suppliers are available.

References

• "The Artists Handbook"; Ray Smith, third edition, 2009
• Liquid Tusche Description
• "Living With Art"; Mark Getlein, eighth edition, 2008

Resources

• Lithographic Drawing Supplies
• Lithography Process and Making Drawing Materials