U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | RE: Polymer gravure plate tone

RE: Polymer gravure plate tone



Hi Susan,

Thanks for taking a moment to locate this site. I thought plate tone was/is
what you described and that it affects the highlights varied by how the
plate is ink and cleaned. I have several gravures in my personal photography
collection so I'll pull those out later today and take a look at them,
however having several prints made from the same plate with different inking
and clean up would be more illustrative.

See ya,

Don 

-----Original Message-----
From: SusanV [mailto:susanvoss3@gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 3:37 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: Re: Polymer gravure plate tone

Hey, found something here...
http://www.washingtonprintmakers.com/artists/newman.html

See the light areas of the prints?  there's a certain "signature" type of
tone this artist has.  THAT is plate tone.

susan

On 3/12/07, SusanV <susanvoss3@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Don,
>
> I did a search but didn't find anything in the way of images... maybe 
> someone else has something.
>
> Plate tone is just the last little film of ink left on the areas of a 
> plate that are intended to print "white".  In the print it is the 
> slightest little bit of tone in the lightest areas.  it can vary a 
> great deal.  some plate materials are slicker than others and easier 
> to wipe very clean, leaving little tone.  It is a creative choice of 
> the printer, to leave a little or a lot... and in what areas to leave 
> however much they choose.  At one extreme you can take cotton swabs 
> and mineral spirits and polish off any evidence of ink.  Even the type 
> of ink is a variable... some are more finely ground than others, 
> making it harder to wipe the last little bit off the plate.
>
> Printmaking types often compliment other printmakers about their use 
> of plate tone, especially at openings with a few glasses of cheap 
> white in them :o)
>
> kinda like discussions of "bokeh".  :P
>
> Susan
>
>
> On 3/12/07, Don Bryant <dsbryant@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> > Dear Polymer Gravurists,
> >
> >
> > > Now, speaking of plate tone
> >
> > Can anyone point me to an online example that shows 'plate tone'?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Don Bryant
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> susan
> gravure blog at www.susanvossgravures.blogspot.com
> website www.dalyvoss.com
>


--
susan
gravure blog at www.susanvossgravures.blogspot.com
website www.dalyvoss.com