U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: solarplate images up on my website

Re: solarplate images up on my website



Jon, thanks for the detailed response!

First of all... I did use talc, but I put it on the plate before the
screen exposure, then didn't "re-dust" it right before the image
exposure.  Today I will try only using it before the image exp..

2. my OHP positive was only 30 minutes old... I wonder if that's
relevant?  Maybe still too fresh, and "sticky" although not enough to
smear with normal handling.

3. Maybe the plate would benefit from removing the acetate, and
letting it dry out a bit?  Of course it would have to be dust free...
maybe turned upside down and suspended in my anti-gravity machine. :o)

Heading to Home Depot today to get materials to make a frame for the
Krene plastic, which may help me judge contact issues...

lastly... I will do that "virgin plate" test today and see what happens...

thanks again,
Susan

http://sssusans-studio.blogspot.com/
www.dalyvoss.com


On 2/20/07, Jon Lybrook <jon@terabear.com> wrote:
Measles...good analogy.

Notice the difference though.  Chris' measles are dark in the light
areas, while Susan's are white in the dark areas.

Chris:  http://czaphotography.com/img/learning/solarplate/Guncompare.jpg
Susan:
http://bp1.blogger.com/_K_E_8kwTNvw/RdqEKwry8dI/AAAAAAAAAA4/trtOOQWlZ3g/s1600-h/radish01.jpg

My .02 cents/sense is the causes are related, but are manifested for
different reasons.  I've suffered through both of them.  Both have to do
with uneven contact during exposure, as you may have guessed.

Susan, however, unlike Chris, is using a vacuum frame.  Contact should
be flawless, right?  Wrong.  Why, has to do with the "tackiness" between
OHP and the KM73 plate which was documented in my procedure.  Took me
about a year to figure this problem out, but my excuse is I had to go
between Boulder and Denver once a week to actually print the tests, like
Chris.  But, I'm not as bright as her either.

Susan:  If you want to test this, take a virgin KM73 plate with the
mylar removed, and a virgin piece of OHP (without an image printed on
it), sandwich them under the vacuum frame and hit the switch on the
vacuum.   I'll bet you see a similar, but subtle pattern of patches
manifesting like leprosy within the first minute of drawdown.  The
aquatint screen, unlike your image transparency, is made of real film
and doesn't have this issue, but the OHP is tackier against the KM73
plate and this is the problem.  The remedy for me has been baby powder,
very lightly dusted over plate with a hake brush (Jan gave me the idea
several years ago).  If you were using baby powder, the other key is to
not let the image exposure draw down too exceedingly long.  I basically
wait until the Krene goes flat against the bed, then hit the exposure
switch with no extra drawdown time beyond that.  Since the screen
exposure is not the issue, you can draw down on it as long as you want.
I do things in this order:

Remove mylar
Expose Screen to plate
Dust plate with baby powder
Expose Image to plate (minimal drawdown time)
Washout normally

Hope that helps.

I've got some other things I'm testing out to help with the OHP issue
with the KM73 plates and will report back if I come up with anything
better than the above.

Best wishes,
Jon




SusanV wrote:
> Christine and all... I also posted some gravures tonight at
> http://sssusans-studio.blogspot.com/
>
> Christine... mine also have a case of what I call the midtone measels.
> I just came in from the studio, and I'm so sleepy I can't keep my
> eyes open.  I will take a better look at your many (!!!!) wonderful
> experiments in the morning.  Thank you for making them available.
>
> yawnnnn...
> Susan
>
> www.dalyvoss.com
>
> On 2/19/07, zphoto@montana.net <zphoto@montana.net> wrote:
>> Dear all,
>> Camden was kind enough to put up my solarplate images today
>> on my website seeing as I am "website challenged".
>>
>>   Here is the URL:
>>
>> http://czaphotography.com/show.php?what=learning&which=4
>>
>> If this doesn't work, then it is at:
>>
>> CZAphotography.com>Learning>Solarplate.
>>
>> I have added text to the images to show you some problems,
>> issues, etc. I have had with the stuff.  They are not
>> perfect images by FAR and  I consider myself a neophyte
>> solarplatist.  But at least you can see what it looks like
>> for those who don't know what solarplate is.
>>
>> A couple of the images are
>> "combotypes"--solarplate/cyanotype and solarplate/woodblock
>> oh and solarplate/watercolor. A bunch of the images are
>> printed using a bitmap black ink only neg (Epson 2200) 600
>> dpi in and out--very low tech (the orchid, the Boy Doesn't
>> Meet Girl, the Kissing Chickens--had to add a little humor
>> in there).
>>
>> Hopefully this will continue the dialogue.  I just ordered
>> KM73 plates today.  I wish I could say I just ordered a
>> vacuum frame today, too :)
>> Chris
>>
>>
>> Assistant Professor of Photography
>> Photography Option Coordinator
>> Montana State University
>> College of Arts and Architecture
>> Department of Media and Theatre Arts, Room 220
>> P.O. Box 173350
>> Bozeman, MT 59717-3350
>> Tel (406) 994 6219
>> CZAphotography.com
>>
>>
>
>



--
Susan Daly Voss
www.dalyvoss.com