Recycling ART - Printing with Tetra Pak

 

Printing with Tetra Pak cartons is an innovative and accessible way to create intaglio prints. Tetra Pak cartons, typically used for packaging beverages, have an aluminum layer sandwiched between paper and plastic layers, making them suitable for intaglio techniques.

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating prints with Tetra Pak cartons:

Materials Needed

• Tetra Pak carton (clean and dried)
• Cutting tools (scissors, craft knife)
• Ballpoint pen, etching needle, or other engraving tools
• Intaglio ink
• Inking plate or flat surface
• brush
• Tarlatan cloth or newspaper for wiping
• Your handmade paper or Printing paper
• Intaglio press or
• Burnishing tool or spoon (if not using a press

 

Steps

1. Preparing the Tetra Pak Carton

• Select and Clean: Choose a Tetra Pak carton and rinse it thoroughly. Allow it to dry completely.
• Cut to Size: Cut the carton to the desired size for your print, keeping in mind that the aluminum side will be the printing surface.
• Flatten the Carton: Carefully flatten the cut piece of Tetra Pak so that it can be easily worked on.

2. Creating the Image

• Draw the Design: Using a ballpoint pen, etching needle, or another engraving tool, draw your design directly onto the aluminum side of the Tetra Pak. Press firmly to incise lines into the surface.
• Add Details: Enhance your design with varying line depths and cross-hatching to create different textures and shades.
• Black and white shapes: You achieve dark surfaces by trimming the shape and removing the aluminum layer, thus revealing the cardboard base, which will absorb the ink. If you cut out the surface entirely, creating a hole, that surface will appear white or the color of the paper in the print.

3. Inking the Plate

• Apply Ink: Spread intaglio ink over the entire surface of the Tetra Pak, ensuring it fills all the incised lines and reeveld cardboard shapes.

• Remove Excess Ink: Use a tarlatan cloth or newspaper to wipe away the ink from the surface, leaving ink only in the incised lines. Wipe gently to avoid removing ink from the grooves.

4. Preparing the Paper

• Dampen the Paper: Lightly moisten your handmade paper by spraying it with water or using a damp cloth. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to become pliable. If you use graphic paper, dip it in water and then place it between sheets of newspaper to dry excess water.

 

 

5. Printing the Image

• Place the Paper: Lay the dampened paper over the inked Tetra Pak plate.
• Transfer the Image:
• Using a Press (Optional): If you have access to an printing intaglio press, carefully pass the plate and paper through the press under appropriate pressure.
• By Hand: Use a burnishing tool, such as the back of a spoon, to rub the back of the paper firmly and evenly, ensuring good contact between the paper and the inked lines.

 

6. Finishing the Print

• Remove the Paper: Carefully lift the paper from one corner to reveal the printed image.
• Dry the Print: Place the print between blotting paper or newsprint and press under a weight to dry flat.

Additional Tips

• Experiment with Textures: Try different tools to create various textures and effects on the Tetra Pak surface.
• Multiple Prints: You can create multiple prints from a single Tetra Pak plate, but the plate may wear down after several uses.
• Safety: Handle cutting tools and inks carefully, and work in a well-ventilated area.

Printing with Tetra Pak cartons is a fun and eco-friendly way to explore intaglio printing techniques, allowing you to create detailed prints with readily available materials.