Dear Susan and Christina (and all),
Why can't you make your own 1800 dpi 80% stochastic screen file
yourself in Photoshop (*1), save it in .eps format and give it to a
printshop running an imagesetter (whether they have the special software
or not) to print it directly (without applying rasterization in their
RIP)?
Steps for (*1):
1. Create an empty image (Mode: grayscale, resolution = 225 dpi, size =
according to your need)
2. Fill it with the appropiate gray tone (20% Luminosity)
3. Change the mode to bitmap (Output: 1800dpi, Method: Diffusion Dither)
4. Save it to an .eps file (they should open it at 1800dpi, size exactly
the same is in step 1)
See:
http://www.loris.medici.name/susanv_1800dpi_screen.jpg
Don't you think that the generated pattern looks like original aquatint
pattern? This is a 8x10" file that I processed as listed above (original
pixel dimensions: 1800x2250, bitmap pixel dimensions: 14400x18000). Left
side the original tone, right side the stochastic pattern at 100%
magnification. When you scale the file on the right to "print size", the
tone is identical to the left side...
If that works somehow, you won't have to be extra careful - to not
damage the screen - when printing; you're going to have your file
printed again if your aquating screen gets damaged (somehow).
What do you think? Am I talking nonsense - or do you think this is worth
to try? (I can send you a sample negative if you like - here in
Istanbul, imagesetter printing fees are very very low...)
Regards,
Loris.
-----Original Message-----
From: Christina Z. Anderson [mailto:zphoto@montana.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 4:03 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: Re: solarplate images up on my website
I second this, Susan,
Yesterday I called all around. No one has imagesetters anymore. One
place
has one up in northern Montana, but the other problem is the software
capable of doing stochastic is $50,000. He can do a stochastic right to
PLATE but not to film. But what do we do when the last imagesetter goes
out
of biz? I mean, would it be the same if we did a digital one and
projected/enlarged it onto film ourselves, I wonder...
Also, the notes I have on screens so far: 1800 dpi, 80% density; from
Ross
20 or 40 microns and that stochastic is 2 different diameter dot sizes
of
diamond shape. I don't even know what all this means, what a micron
is--I
assume the 20 micron is a finer dot...
I printed out Jon's entire website and keep referring to it. Especially
the
little jpg of the different exposures and dots--very helpful, Jon. Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "SusanV" <susanvoss3@gmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 6:45 AM
Subject: Re: solarplate images up on my website
> Dear gravure folks... I got an email last night from Copygraphics, and
> they believe they have the problem with the stochastic screens sorted
> out. Yay!
>
> I have tried to find someone around here to make me one (a stochastic
> screen), and came up empty. it seems that even long established
> printing shops have gone digital. One place told me he gave his
> imagesetter away a few months ago! (and those things are lot of $$$$$
> ) Another problem is that they aren't used to making stochastic
> screens... that's a random dot pattern rendered by special software
> that not all places even have available.
>
> so... I highly advise getting a screen now from copygraphics and
> taking good care of it.
>
> susan
>
> gravure blog http://susanvossgravures.blogspot.com
> www.dalyvoss.com
>
