Stone lithography is a specialist print process that is based on the principle that oil and water do not mix. In the most traditional form, an image is drawn or marks made on a limestone, in oily and waxy mediums, and this becomes the matrix from which a print is taken. 

The stone is prepared by grinding it to a smooth surface that feels almost like satin to the touch. It is then degreased and a drawing is made with a variety of mediums including lithographic crayon, powders and inks, all of which have the ability to repel water, and all of which will attract the printing ink when the stone is ready to ink up and print.

The stone is then etched in a series of chemical processes, resulting in the image on the stone being ready to print.

In the printing process, the stone is dampened with a sponge and water, which is repelled by the greasy areas of the original drawing. Oil based lithography ink is rolled in a thin layer onto the stone, adhering only to the drawn marks made by the artist. The undrawn areas remain clean. The paper is then placed over the inked up stone, and the stone and paper are run through a press, transferring image to paper. The process of wetting the stone and inking up is repeated for each print.