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What is the ink being used? Some are non-toxic, and so are their sealants and top coats.
When dry, none is unsafe to handle normally. Some of the stuff can be smelly and irritating to the eyes when wet, but it may not be toxic if it is.
The best way to learn is to request a manufacturer's materials sheet from your supplier. It will list anything that is toxic, how toxic it is, and will advise as to what protections may be required. It's always a good idea to use a sealant that matches the other materials and comes from the same company.
Does anyone know of a non-toxic sealant for collagraphs? Thanks!
will link some venues you can research... I am a daughter of a " Calligrapher" (note proper spelling).. I have treasured evidence of her wonderful "Script " in letters + notations in very important Family historical legacy items!! As to sealants, Not sure anyone back in the past 100 years worried about that.. as most all of my mom's valued documents still survive TODAY... She would have been 102 Yrs old IF still alive today!!
Maybe these few links might help you answer exactly what you are asking!!
Does anyone know of a non-toxic sealant for collagraphs? Thanks!
Your question set me to thinking about it.
If you are using shellac to seal a cardboard substrate, there are alternatives to both the substrate and the sealer.
Instead of cardboard substrate, using a piece of thin Masonite or a piece of sheet plastic could eliminate the need for the shellac. You could use some acrylic artist's resin to seal the artwork, thinned with water, or a water-based clear lacquer. I think there are now water-based clear coats that are available in spray cans, though I haven't gone looking for any yet.
The danger in shellac is the type of alcohol used in it, not the shellac flakes. It's possible to thin shellac with Everclear, the cheap, potent drinking alcohol; the fumes might get you high, but they won't kill you.
But there's quite a lot of other safer alternatives that all use water as a thinner. In a pinch, I think mixing some Elmer's glue with water and applying several coats on the cardboard could work. I would coat both sides of the cardboard with any water-based sealant to keep the warpage down to a minimum. Apply with a cheap bristle brush.
You're welcome.
Basically, the reason to coat the substrate is to keep it all held together. Collagraphy isn't the kind of printing for doing lots of prints, or repeated printings.
The ink used plays a big part in the selection of the sealer on the plate; essentially, if it's oil-based printer's ink, you want some sealer that is either real tough and durable, like shellac, and/or one that is not oil-soluable. Shellac is good because it resists both oil and water based products.
But it you are using printer's ink or silkscreen ink, then using some water-based acrylic product for sealing would work fine. It may not be as durable, however, so you might not get as many impressions before the plate is worn out.
The basic rule is oil and water don't mix. So when using a water-based ink, the protective barrier should be oil-based and vice versa.
However, an acrylic-based product can be waterproof when completely dry so it's safe to use with a water-based ink sometimes. A test is needed first, just to be sure.
There are many oil-based varnishes that have thinners that are less toxic than methyl alcohol, but all the oil-based stuff is stinky, and the fumes, while not toxic, may be flammable.
I suggest having a long talk with the manager of any good local paint store. The coatings industry is changing very rapidly nowadays, partly due to a great demand to do away with all the oil-based thinners, as they're bad for the environment.
There's also a lot of fast change in the printing industry and automotive paint industry, too, and they all have products that can work for the purpose.
Anything that's good for protecting something in industry will be just as good for use in artwork, and the commercial stuff is often far less expensive that the artist-grade stuff.
Artist's materials in general tend to be more traditional and often lag far behind the latest commercial materials developments. Naturally so, as there's much more money to be made in commerce than art.
The more one learns, the better the results will be.
While collography isn't supposed to be expensive to do, it could still work much better when a little extra money is spent in the right materials at the right time. The information is all free and is all easy to find; all you have to do is learn who to ask for it. Ask a pro, and you'll get a pro's answer.
It's far faster (and better) than messing around all on your own.
Thank you for the updates on fine artist materials.
what sealant would you recommend, if anything, for a collagraph with squeezed-out glue lines for the drawing on the board.
i would leave this collagraph to dry overnight, and then want an effective sealant on that board for inking up.
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