What is a Tarlatan for in printmaking?

Tarlatan for straining the gelatin and glycerin plate when refreshing it.
Tarlatan for straining the gelatin when recycling it.

Well traditionally a tarlatan is used for wiping excess ink off an etching plate.

It is an open weave, heavily starched fabric.

strain old glycerin and gelatin plate

I use it in gelatin printmaking to strain recycled gelatin into a pan. It catches all the gunk and junk that was on or in the gelatin plate from weeks of printing.

Also sometimes the gelatin plate starts to mold as it ages.

The glycerin and gelatin recipe does not mold as quickly as the gelatin. I try to catch all those bits of mold in the tarlatan.

I have heard that some folks use a fine mesh sieve, old panty hose or doubled up cheese cloth.

So use what you have when you reconstitute your gelatin and glycerin plate.

detail impression and shaped impression pull from the gelatin plate

If you would like to get lots of help making and maintaining your gel printing plate, then join the next session of Make Monotypes, the online printmaking course.