Re: wiping KM73 polymer plates
Hi Chris,
Sorry for all the forthcoming jabber. I know you said you're up to here
with polymer plates now. But...
I agree that a good curve will make all the difference, and can be used
successfully against Solarplates(TM) as well as the Toyobo brand. I
will say there's a smoothness to the Toyobo that doesn't contain the
pits or manufacturing "features" sometimes evident in Solarplates (and
JetUSA plates as well). I've tried different thicknesses of polymer,
but those are the only 3 brands I believe I've tried. Anyone have of
any others they like?
I will say that, with few exceptions, I have yet to see a polymer plate
print that matches good B&W silver prints or true copper gravure.
There's still something missing. Something in the way the plate tone
gets held on the plastic I guess. It's never quite as smooth and
convincing as these other processes. Not to say I've not seen great and
inspiring prints -- but it's got a distinctly different look to my eye.
One day the technology will catch up, if there's enough interest in it,
but I don't think we're there yet.
As far as wiping, I use phone pages followed by tissue paper only now.
In spite of experimenting with fairly long post-exposures, the KM73
plates (with the finer screen I use) scratches like the dickens under
tarlatan. In this way the Solarplates in conjunction with the standard
aquatint screen are probably more durable. But I think the finer screen
is probably a significant variable. Finer dots mean less plastic to
hold up the image structure - thus greater fragility. That's what I've
deduced at any rate. Cleaning the plate properly is also critical -
paint brush and mineral spirits dissolve the plate's matrix, the way I
burn them, so I've found other approaches cited in other posts here.
Best wishes,
Jon
Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
Hi all,
I find solarplate prints pretty close to a BW print...detail is not
the issue with solarplate once you curve it correctly. The biggest
problem is those dam mottles. But if in fact you all are right that
Printight is more detailed, I may just have to buy some.
One thing I notice, having printed (limited) other types of processes,
solarplate requires quite a bit of wiping. I have been using etching
ink which works fine for me, but what I find about solarplate at least
is that you have to use the tarlatan very well and then finish off
with telephone book pages, wiping the plate to the point that you
think you are wiping all the detail out. In other words, the plate
should look like all ink is off the highlights of the image when, in
fact, they still print! I don't know why this is the case that the ink
is not visible on the surface but still prints. I may use a total of 4
telephone book pages wiping the plate clean, with a flat hand.
I read that the plate hardens from bottom up--that a flash exposure of
3-5 secs will harden the goo at the steel plate level and then you
expose your neg. I find this fascinating after all the discussion on
this list about top down hardening of gum. I have no idea what the
hardening agent is in solarplate (any guesses? Diazo?).
Mind you, I have been working on solarplate all week to perfect my
curve after a major glitch related to positive/negative issues, so I
am solarplated OUT at the moment...
Chris
----- Original Message ----- From: "taylordow" <taylordow@sprintmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 4:26 PM
Subject: Re: wiping KM73 polymer plates
Nancy,
I use Daniel Smith's Miracle Gel Reducer http://www.danielsmith.com/
catalog/products/?T1=284+900+001&UID=2007020715152611 which sounds
similar to Graphic's Chemical Gel. Using this and wiping initially
with tarlatans and then finishing by hand, you can get some
incredible detail.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post that they found the Solarplates
didn't resolve the fine detail as well as the Printight plates. This
was exactly the reason I changed. Not that there's anything wrong
with the Solarplates, just they weren't suitable for my work.
Keith.
On Feb 7, 2007, at 5:09 PM, Nancy Diessner wrote:
The ink I use for these plates has been a mixture of equal parts
Graphic Chemical Bone Black, Stiff Black, and Transparent Base. I've
now started adding a bit of Graphic Chemical Gel (nontoxic) that
makes the ink more gooey and brings out more subtle tonal variations
in the plate. For some images I've made it so gooey I've had to
almost pour it on the plate (for plates I've heavily altered by
hand). It's made a big difference for me.
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