Process for making artistic prints

A process for making colored artistic prints having a three dimensional surface texture, comprising:

• (a) melting a wax mixture having the following composition:
• yellow wax (virgin) 30-50%
• candle wax 15-30%
• paraffin 5-15%
• turpentine 2-12%
• impalpable graphite powder 12-24%
• (b) pouring said melt into a mold and cooling said melt to ambient temperature to form a solid wax plate having uniform thickness and a smooth upper surface,
• (c) working the smooth upper surface of said wax plate to form an artistic three dimensional relief design thereon,
• (d) depositing upon said worked surface of said wax plate electrically conducting powder to form a uniform coating thereon,
• (e) placing said powder coated wax plate within an acid copper solution and with a conducting maximum voltage of two volts for 12-24 hours, electroplating a thin copper plate upon said powder coated worked surface of said wax plate,
• (f) removing said copper plated wax plate from said copper solution and steaming said wax plate to remove said wax from said copper plate,
• (g) depositing tin powder upon the surface of said copper plate previously adjacent the wax plate, and heating said wax plate to melt said tin powder to form a coating of tin over said one surface of said copper plate;
• cooling said plate and tin to solidify and adhere said tin coating thereto,
• (h) placing said tin coated copper plate in a heated mold and pouring molten lead therein to contact and adhere to said tin coated surface only;
• cooling and solidifying said lead mass as a base for said copper plate,
• (i) scraping the surface of said mass of lead to provide a smooth surface and uniform thickness thereto,
• (j) coloring predetermined portions of the copper surface of said composite plate with ink or paint,
• (k) placing said colored composite plate, copper face up, on the platen of a printing press having pressure rollers,
• (l) placing over said colored copper plate surface a sheet of material to be printed;
• placing a cover blanket over said sheet material, and
• (m) pressing said sheet material against said colored copper plate with said pressure rollers to form said sheet material into a colored artistic print, having a three dimensional surface texture.