Ink on paper

Teresa Fernanz de de Bobadilla <teresa [at] bobadilla__jazztel__es>
writes

>I have a drawing with ballpoint writing on the back as well as
>fountain pen ink and accidentally someone sprayed water and alcohol
>over it and put it on the press. The ink has moved through to the
>surface of the recto and is quite noticeable.  Could anyone suggest
>a bright method of "sinking it" back to the verso? I have tried
>suction table but it was not efficient enough.

I assume that the ink did move to some degree during the suction
table treatment. So  increasing the velocity of the solvent, (or if
the residue is insoluble, the carrier liquid) by masking off all but
a very small area, would help, as would localized high vacuum.
Beware of the stresses on the paper substrate.

Another technique I have been using for years with surprising
success is generating a small but powerful burst of steam over the
effected area, by simply placing a damp blotter, or paper towel
directly on the stain, (while the drawing is on the suction table or
on a piece of felt) and quickly touching a hot tacking iron to the
wet towel through a layer of Mylar(R). The water rapidly turns into
a burst of steam which cannot escape upwards because the iron is
still there, so as it expands explosively, it escapes downward into
the paper with high pressure, carrying the pigment with it. The
powerful dissolving action of the steam is a bonus if the ink is
soluble, but the mechanical pressure of the steam is very effective
in moving insoluble pigment particles deeper into the paper.

The same technique works with alcohol as well, but at a lower
temperature and care is needed so as to to create a fire. The whole
process takes but a second and may be repeated as often as
necessary.

George Schwartz
ConservArt - Master Frame Makers and Art Conservators
8177 Glades Road #16
Boca Raton FL 33434 USA
561-482-7292
Fax: 561-482-6787


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:47
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 29, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-19-47-003
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