What is a photogravure? This a question people me ask a lot. I love the process as I have to use materials like ink and paper on the print making press to get a print. It reminds of the hands on process in the darkroom. The results are beautiful and you can only print a small edition before the plate wears out. I want to show the process of getting a photogravure print with a polymer plate.

Photo by Georgina Lucock

This is the Polymer plate you print your image on and make a digital negative.

Once the plate has been exposed to UV and washed you need to leave it out in the sun to bake

Time to ink up the plate

You need to buff the plate back to take away any excess ink

Time to put the plate on the press and pull the print through

This is the result of the Lilypads as a photogravure print