Re: Inkjet negs: Pigment vs. Dye, etc.

[Keith Gerling <keith.gerling@gmail.com>]

Hi Don,

Thanks for the input.  I'll check out that article in View Camera.  

Back when I started using inkjet negs there was no Pictorico, so I always used paper.  My method is to clamp a clothes iron in a vise, heat it up, and then pull the negative across the hot iron with a block of paraffin on the other side.

Keith

On Nov 29, 2007 1:01 PM, Don Bryant <dsbryant@bellsouth.net> wrote:

Keith,

What a timely post! A few minutes ago I  read an article in the current
issue of View Camera magazine by Peter Liepke explaining how he used digital
inkjet paper negatives to print gum and gum over palladium prints. To make a
long story short to make digital paper negatives usable for actinic
processes he waxes the paper negatives with paraffin. If you need to do that
for really big negatives you will need to be able to warm the paper somehow
to melt the paraffin. Without waxing the UV density of the paper will be
extremely high.

You will still have to calibrate the negatives for your process as you would
for transparency film though Liepke is using the ABW settings in the Epson
driver to produce a pyro looking negative so he may not be expending a lot
of time calibrating the negatives. The driver for the 7600 doesn't have this
feature but you might want to give Keith Schrieber's method a go:

http://web.mac.com/j.k.schreiber/JKSchreiber/Articles/Entries/2007/6/16_Digi
tal_Negatives_for_Platinum_Palladium_Printing_Using_the_Epson_Stylus_Photo_2
200.html

Answering your questions though:

> 1) Can one make usable paper negatives using pigment inks? Are dye-based
inks better?

Yes to pigmented inks. Dye inks are not necessarily better.

> 2) I'm told that Epson pigment-ink printers can never be switched over to
dye-based inks. Is this true?

AFAIK, there are no dye ink sets made for the 7600 and why bother anyway.
With the new law suit brought forth by Epson it's not clear what the future
will be for suppliers of non OEM inks and cartridges. You may wish to
contact www.inksupply.com, a.k.a. Michigan Ink Supply, for more information
about that. I'm sure they can tell you if there will be a continuance of
these non Epson products.

> 3) Any thoughts on what paper to use?

Practically any glossy inkjet paper can be used. The cheaper the better.

If you can have a look at Liepke's article. I think the look of his photos
will appeal to you.

Don Bryant