GRAVURE ISSUES
Dear Susan, Jon
and
Keith
No no no no............I am not discouraged. Having
trained as an
apprenticed hand engraver on metals for seven years back in
the sixties I am
not short of patience when it comes to obtaining desired
results from
a printing process. I am a pictorialist and aim to make
impressionist camera generated images in multiples. Gravure
reproduction
very much appeals to me especially when the working of
the technique allows a certain ammount of manipulation with regard to contrast
of the final
image.
However, as I am not a very wealthy man I need to find
ways of
reducing the very high costs of equipment such as roller press,
gravure
plates, etc., etc., This is my personal project which I hope can
be shared with several other members of this List (six hundred + strong) who
must be drooling at the pristine images appearing on the web sites you
are
highlighting, Altho' I admire the enormous ammount of
technical effort
which obviously has been used to produce these images and
the subjects are
incredibly beautiful , this is not my genre of artistic
creativity, and I do
not aim to emulate. There is room for all tastes. This
has often been stated
on this
list.
The similarity of Gravure to other photo ink
transfer
processes such as Oil Printing, Bromoil Transfer, Photo Lithography, Screen,
Collotype and other fancy names is what is so attractive to me and I thank
you for bringing so much enthusiasm to the current scene regarding the Gravure
process.
Press on with the
challenge.
Best. John - Photographist - London - UK
Original
Message -----
From: "SusanV" <susanvoss3@gmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 4:46
PM
Subject: Re: Plate Cutter/Draw Tool
John,
No no no don't
be discouraged about the polymer plates :o)
This is just a minor problem
for me personally since I don't have a
good old quillotine paper cutter,
which apparently works great. I'm
going to pick up a used on on ebay I
think, then I'll be good to go.
The plate's surface is a bit tacky and is
covered with a clear acetate
sheet for protection. You remove that
after cutting and just before
exposure. The edge of that acetate can
lift up a bit though, and if
there are little steel shavings along the
edge... they can get under
there.
I think maybe there ARE some with a
plastic base, but I believe from
what I've read recently that these Printight
KM73 plates are the very
best for detail and smooth tone.
Stick around
and we'll all get this figured out for you :o) In the
meantime be sure
to go look at the links on my blog... Jon and Keith
know what they're
doing. I've seen Keith's work in person, and
it's
gorgeous.
Susan
On 3/15/07, John Grocott <john.grocott403@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> Hi Susan, As I am not acquainted with polymer plates
such as the steel
> ones
> you are using, I can only imagine how
annoying it must be with the
> shavings.
> My experience with dust
grain gravure on copper plates, approx fifteen
> years
> back, was
enough for me to shelve the project, altogether, like yourself.
> But I
was under the impression that phtopolymer plates were now being
>
produced with a type of plastic base. Maybe it was in my dreams of a
>
really
> user friendly non -etch gravure process coming to
light. I find your
> blog
> etc., is very impressive and
inspiring. Thanks.
> Regards. John- Photographist - London -
UK
>
.......................................................................................................
>
----- Original Message -----
> From: "SusanV" <susanvoss3@gmail.com>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 3:21
PM
> Subject: Re: Plate Cutter/Draw Tool
>
>
>
John,
>
> Thanks for the info and link!
>
> I have a
draw blade but have had trouble with the steel shavings it
> creates
getting stuck to the rather sticky surface of the polymer.
> They don't
just brush off the way they do with zinc or copper plates.
> That's why
I'm exploring other ways. happy though for any and all
> suggestions
:o)
>
> Susan
>
> On 3/13/07, John Grocott <john.grocott403@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > A tool for scoring
deep cuts in plates by removing the actual material,
> > metal or
plastic, which then enables the sheet to be divided by snapping
> >
can
> > be purchased from a printmakers suppliers.Its called a ''Draw
Tool'' and
> > has
> > been used for many years by
printmakers. ( approx. £20-00)
> > www.intaglioprintmaker.com
>
> Best of luck
.
>
>
John Grocott- Photographist- London - UK
>
>
> --
>
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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