RE: Polymer gravure plate tone
Katharine, Yes I looked at Andrews site a few days ago and read the article about his work in B&W mag. It seems obvious artists definitely have their own style of working their plates. I'm sure that looking at the actual gravures is a much different experience than viewing the web presentation but one thing that occurred to me how varied in appearance a gravure print will be depending upon whether they are made from copper plates or polymer. My sense is that the type of plate and the artists style have a lot to do to with the final appearance of the print and of plate tone. As Susan's husband John pointed out, it is a subtlety (or maybe not so subtle) that merits attention. Don Bryant -----Original Message----- From: Katharine Thayer [mailto:kthayer@pacifier.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 12:21 PM To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: Re: Polymer gravure plate tone I was wondering if some of Andrew Xenios' gravures linked earlier wouldn't provide an example of plate tone. http://www.andrewxenios.com/gravureviewer/andy.html kt On Mar 12, 2007, at 11:36 AM, SusanV wrote: > 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 > >
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