Re: Photopolymer Plate Options
Thanks for the lengthy answer, Keith. I, too, tried to get that book but it
is not available on Amazon nor on abebooks.com. BUTTTT.....tada....it is
here:
http://www.diannelongley.com.au/polymer/reviews.htm
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "taylordow" <taylordow@sprintmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: Photopolymer Plate Options
Hi Chris,
I'm using a vacuum frame but it doesn't always eliminate the problem of
mottling and uneven contact, although I find the Printight plates are
better than the Solarplates. I think part of my problem (with either
plate) is that I'm having to cut them with a straight edge and utility
knife because I don't have the room for a guillotine. I get a good vacuum
and have never had contact problems with other processes so I don't think
it's the frame.
I found that when I started using the Printight plates, problems that I'd
associated with bad contact disappeared straight away. The plates were
able to resolve detail in areas that just didn't have any before (shadows
especially) and the mottling was significantly less of a problem. I don't
know if that's a result of the slipcoat you mention, or just because it's
able to resolve more detail. Either way, I think you'll certainly notice
a difference if you move to the Printight plates.
Another thing I do is to dust the plate with talc just prior to exposure
and to gently brush it around with a very soft brush, so there's just a
very light dusting on the plate. This seems to really help increase the
contact, although this would only work with vacuum frames.
A friend here in Minneapolis is a letterpress printer who uses the
polymer plates for type and needs to resolve the finest lines and serifs.
He uses a vacuum frame with Kreen instead of glass. Kreen is a plastic
that's available from Boxcar and is really the best way to go for perfect
contact. Jon Lybrook I know asked about this before, although I don't
know if he made the switch. Jon?
Lastly, one of the most informative books on using Toyobo Printight
plates specifically I found to be Diane Longley's "Printmaking with
Photopolymer Plates". Published by Illumination Press in Adelaide,
Australia.
Keith Taylor
On Feb 13, 2007, at 8:53 AM, Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
Jon, Hellena, Nancy, Keith, etc.
Do you find that the toyobo plates don't mottle as much as solarplate??
It seems from the website description that it has a slipcoat to obtain
better contact between film and plate. Do you think this would solve my
problem of not having a vacuum frame or are all of you using vacuum
frames as well?
Chris
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