The embodiments described herein relate to placement tools for printmaking, including but not limited to, creating layered prints and registration.
Printmaking refers to the process of creating artwork by printing, typically on paper. Monotyping is a type of printmaking in which an image is drawn or painted on a smooth, non-absorbent surface (referred to herein as a “plate” or “pad”) and then the image is transferred onto a sheet of paper (or any suitable surface) by pressing the two together, typically by press or by hand. In monotyping, the plate is featureless and contains no features that will impart any definition to successive prints. Accordingly, the image is entirely dependent on the unique inking or painting added to the plate, resulting in one unique print.
Sometimes artists (also referred to herein as a “user” or “users”) desire to add multiple layers of paint or ink to the same print. Similarly, artists also desire to layer printed patterns to form a multicolor pattern which is referred to as registration. However, it is challenging to add successive layers to the same location on the paper as the prior layer(s) because it is difficult to align and center the paper at the same position on the plate. This is particularly difficult when users are pressing the plate and the paper together by hand because the user often cannot see the location of the print on the paper during the transfer process.
Accordingly, there is a significant need for a placement tool which centers and aligns the plate and the paper to permit multiple-layered prints, and which permits easier registration. Along with other features and advantages outlined herein, the placement tool within the scope of present embodiments meet these and other needs. In doing so, the placement tool easily permits layering and registration because the plate and paper are centered in the same location each time a new layer is added. The placement tool also allows the prints to be positioned in the center of the paper. Furthermore, the placement tool, according to multiple embodiments and alternatives, is portable, less expensive than conventional tools, and is easier to clean and store.
According to multiple embodiments and alternatives, the placement tool comprises a main body which is a single component generally in the shape of the letter “L,” and is adapted to receive a plate or pad. In further embodiments, a top surface of the placement tool defines a plurality of bores which are adapted to receive a plurality of paper guides.
In some embodiments, the main body consists of a first component (which is generally in the shape of a long and narrow rectangle) integrally connected to second component. In some embodiments, the first component is generally in the shape of a long and narrow rectangle and the second component is generally in the shape of a shorter and wide rectangle relative to the first component. In other embodiments, the first component is a shorter and wider rectangle relative to the second component, and any number of widths and lengths may be utilized as desired by the user.
The first component connects to the second component to form a plate receiving corner. In some embodiments, the plate receiving corner is curved and adapted to receive the corresponding curved edge of a plate. In further embodiments, the first component connects to the second component at about a ninety degree angle to receive a plate having a sharper corner or edge. The first and second components further define a plurality of external edges and a pair of internal edges. The pair of internal edges and the plate receiving corner are adapted to receive a plate or a pad.
In some embodiments, an additional component is positioned along the outer edge of the main body and consists of a different color than the main body (e.g. neon as a non-limiting example). In this embodiment, the additional component is positioned higher than the top surface of the main body, and no paper guides (or corresponding bores) are utilized with the placement tool. In further embodiments, the main body further comprises a plurality of bores which are adapted to receive the protrusions (e.g. pegs as a non-limiting example) of the paper guides (as explained in more detail below), and the additional component along the outer edge is not included.
According to multiple embodiments and alternatives, the bottom surface of each of the plurality of paper guides comprises at least on protrusion (e.g. a pair of pegs as a non-limiting example) which are adapted to be received in the plurality of bores located within the main body. In addition to pegs, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that other structures and shapes may be used to attach the plurality of paper guides to the main body.
In some embodiments, the plurality of paper guides comprise a first paper guide, a second paper guide, and a third paper guide. The first and second paper guides each have an internal edge, external edges, and are generally in the shape of a rectangle except two of the corners along the external edges are rounded, according to multiple embodiments and alternatives. In some embodiments, the second paper guide has a shorter length then the first paper guide.
The third paper guide is generally in the shape of the letter “L”. The third paper guide comprises a first unit (which is generally in the shape of a long and narrow rectangle) integrally connected to a second unit (which is generally a shorter and wider rectangle relative to the first component). In some embodiments, the first unit connects to the second unit at a ninety degree angle to form a paper receiving corner, a plurality of external edges, and a pair of internal edges. The paper receiving corner is adapted to receive the corner of a piece of paper (or any suitable material for receiving the print).
In some embodiments, the plurality of bores comprise a plurality of first paper guide bores, a plurality of second paper guide bores, and a plurality of third paper guide bores, each of which are adapted to receive the protrusion(s) of the respective paper guide. Moreover, the plurality of bores are adapted to accommodate plates of various sizes, including the non-limiting examples of 3×5 inches, 5×7 inches, 6×6 inches, and 8×10 inches. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of plate sizes and configurations may be utilized, including, but not limited to, international paper sizes such as A4, A5, A6, A7, and others. In some embodiments, the main body further includes markings for the various sized plates to indicate to the user where to properly attach the plurality of paper guides to the main body for the respective plate.
According to multiple embodiments and alternatives, the plate is always received in the plate receiving corner (regardless of the size of the plate), but the location of where the plurality of paper guides are attached to the main body will change based on the size of the plate selected by the user. In some embodiments, the main body comprises one piece of clear acrylic, the plurality of paper guides are also made of a single piece of clear acrylic, and the pegs are made of a metal; however, any type of material known by one of ordinary skill in the art will be suitable. In a non-limiting example, the main body is ⅜″ thick, but any suitable thickness may be selected by the user. In some embodiments, it is desirable for the thickness of the main body to be identical to the thickness of the plate or pad which will permit an easier transfer of the image to the paper.
Accordingly, the placement tool permits multiple, aligned and layered prints, thus providing a key advantage over conventional approaches, along with other features and advantages disclosed herein.
The drawings and embodiments described herein are illustrative of multiple alternative structures, aspects, and features of the present embodiments, and they are not to be understood as limiting the scope of present embodiments. It will be further understood that the drawing Figures described and provided herein are not to scale, and that the embodiments are not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The plurality of bores 25 formed by main body 10 are adapted to accommodate plates and papers of various sizes, and the various bores 25 for the respective plate size are positioned distal to one another. As indicated by the non-limiting markings on main body 10 in
As a non-limiting example, the various bores indicated by “8×10” are each positioned the same distance from the respective internal edge 18, and form dashed lines 33′ and 34′ (illustrated in
As shown in
While not illustrated in the figures, the first, second, and third paper guides 55, 58, 65 each have at least one protrusion (not numbered), according to multiple embodiments and alternatives, which extends upward or downward relative to the flat plane of
In operation, a user first attaches the plurality of paper guides 50 to the bores on the main body 10 corresponding to the dimensions of the desired plate, such that the internal edges of the plurality of paper guides 50 face inward towards the pair of internal edges 18 of the main body 10. For example, assuming a user has a 8×10 plate, as shown in
As illustrated in
If a user desires to utilize a different sized plate or pad, then the user will move the plurality of paper guides 50 to the corresponding position within main body 10. For example, if a user desires to move from the “8×10” position illustrated in
It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are not limited in their application to the details of the teachings and descriptions set forth, or as illustrated in the accompanying figures. Rather, it will be understood that the present embodiments and alternatives, as described and claimed herein, are capable of being practiced or carried out in various ways.
Also, it is to be understood that words and phrases used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use herein of “including,” “comprising,” “e.g.,” “containing,” or “having” and variations of those words is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, and equivalents of those, as well as additional items.
Accordingly, the foregoing descriptions of several embodiments and alternatives are meant to illustrate, rather than to serve as limits on the scope of what has been disclosed herein. The descriptions herein are not intended to be exhaustive, nor are they meant to limit the understanding of the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that modifications and variations of these embodiments are reasonably possible in light of the above teachings and descriptions.
This patent application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/144,621, with a filing date of Feb. 2, 2021, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
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Gelli Arts; website; Creating inked details on prints with Bob Pennycook Lesson Plan; Jun. 10, 2020; p. 1-7; https://gelliartsblog.com/2020/06/10/creating-inked-details-on-prints-with-bob-pennycook/. |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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63144621 | Feb 2021 | US |