Printing Bees on tissue paper, using an adana printing press, is tricky because the paper is so thin and the ink very thick. Nonetheless, it is possible and here’s how.
In addition, here is a photo showing the anatomy of the adana press. It explains the printing jargon I use below.
Prepping the Adana
Put as little ink on the ink-table as possible and spread it evenly using a roller.
Stick the bee-stamp into the chase. I achieved this with wood battons, locks and carpet tape. Then place the chase into the chase bed.
Put masking tape on the batton-back, and do a print to mark the masking tape with the bee-stamp. This will help you position the tissue paper.
Use scrap paper to test the print quality and add ink if necessary.
Time to Print
Now to print onto the tissue power. Bare in mind that it doesn’t take much for the tissue paper to get stuck in the rollers. Therefore, keep the end of the tissue paper which is closest to you, higher than the gripper fingers. Doing this avoids the tissue paper pivoting on the chase back and flapping into the rollers.
Position the tissue paper on the chase back. As a guide, you should be able to see through the tissue paper to the bee print on the masking tape. When in place, gently and smoothly press down the printer handle and a bee-print should manifest itself on the tissue paper.
I try and make a bee-print at every other point on the tissue paper.
Once I get into the swing of things, I can fully print 90 sheets of tissue paper in about an hour and a half. Each piece of tissue paper might have eight bees on it.
This is what the tissue paper wraps, a bar of lemongrass honeysoap. I am pleased to sey that no plastic is used.