Keith,
Opps, I gave the wrong link for Keith
Schrieber’s digital pyro article, here is the correct one:
http://web.mac.com/j.k.schreiber/JKSchreiber/Articles/Entries/2007/6/15_Pyro_Colorized_Digital_Negatives_for_the_Epson_1280.html
This article is targeted to toward the
Epson 1280 but the same method can be used for other printers. Of course other digital
methods for producing digital negatives can be used such as Mark Nelson’s
PDN system or the Reeder/Hinkel method using QTR. But these are approaches are
rather technical and as I recall you prefer a looser non regimented approach to
your workflow so these methods may not appeal to you.
Don Bryant
From: Keith Gerling
[mailto:keith.gerling@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007
12:40 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: Inkjet negs: Pigment vs.
Dye, etc.
I've recently been given
an Epson 7600 printer. It needs ink, and Epson ink isn't cheap, and I'm
pondering how I can use this monster to make big negatives for gum
prints. I've been way out of circulation on the topic of inkjet
negatives, only just recently having hooked up an Epson 1280 to make my first
paper negatives in about 8 years, so I'm pretty clueless about how to
proceed. Maybe someone here can steer me in the right direction regarding
this 7600.
My goal is to use this 7600 to make paper inkjet negatives. The 7600 uses
Ultrachrome inks, which I gather is an archival pigment-based ink. So I'm
wondering:
1) Can one make usable paper negatives using pigment inks? Are dye-based
inks better? (Here let me insert my own hunch, limited in scope by my
never having used pigment inks: I'm assuming that dye, which will sink
into the paper rather than sitting on the surface would make a better inkjet
neg)
2) I'm told that Epson pigment-ink printers can never be switched over to
dye-based inks. Is this true? Seeing as how re-fillable cartridges
are still available, would the printer really "care" what liquid is
coursing through its mechanism? Keep in mind, I'm not looking for
archival-ness or "print-perfection", just a way of producing
something that will block light.
3) Any thoughts on what paper to use? I've seen some pretty good
prices and paper rolls (here, for instance: http://www.freedompaper.com/s.nl/it.I/id.34/.f
) but I have no idea whether this kind of paper is appropriate for dye OR
pigment. It is really difficult to glean any kind of information on-line
or from vendors, because the topic of producing inkjet negatives is so
different from the "fine-art print" that this machine was intended
for.
Thanks!
Keith