U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | solarplate/KM73

solarplate/KM73



Good morning!
This list has been a lifesaver as far as solarplate is concerned. Whoever started this convo (Susan? Nancy? Jon? Helen?) I thank you very much.

I got my KM73 plates and took my same positive conglomeration that I was working on solarplate with--a Stouffer's step wedge, a digital step wedge, a CDRP PDN palette, a greyscale all inks only tonal palette, and a PDN colored ink only tonal palette. I printed it on the KM73 the same exact times I have derived on solarplate--5/5 to get a sense of apples to apples as best as I can. Wow. It was quite overexposed, but tonally looked very promising and ta da no mottling. I have no idea why that is the case, but after this box of solarplate is used up I will permanently switch to KM73. The mottling has been a continual issue with the solarplate for me.

Very interesting stuff that feels different in development, too--more...nylony.

I am assuming one takes off the plastic on top before exposing--I did--and I mushed the positive closely down on the tacky surface. With powdering, tho, too.

Two things that are a dream come true--the Elizabeth Dove aquatint screen--very professionally done, beautiful, and thick and sturdy. And the nylon developing brush for $30 from Boxcarpress.com is wonderful--large, flat, and soft. Much softer than my mushroom brush and foot brush I have been using that I bought at Target, tho those have worked just fine. This is $60 well spent--neither go into the trash because of mottling!
Chris