U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Hmmm... Toyobo Printight KM43 vs KM73 for "photogravure"

Re: Hmmm... Toyobo Printight KM43 vs KM73 for "photogravure"



Hi Brian and Henry,

Brian - In addition to thickness, the practical difference between the KM73 and KM83 is that the KM83 requires about 25% greater exposure time. I'd expect that the KM43 being a much thinner plate might require less exposure time. I'd sacrifice a plate into test strips and run some exposure tests. I have some samples of the KM43 I've tried and didn't like them due to the thinness. Not enough substance for a nice deep intaglio etch.

Henry - Finer dot screens at 1200dpi probably require a vacuum frame for even contact. Standard, coarser "aquatint" screens like what Dan Welden, Elisabeth Dove, and printmaking supply houses sell are a bit more forgiving and may be exposed using glass, foam and clamps (or perhaps a contact frame). Without a vacuum frame, you'd probably get better results using those coarser screens - certainly better results than what you describe using a single exposure using an image that's been screened in Photoshop.

Good luck!
Jon



Henry Rattle wrote:
I've tried polymer plates and made a few prints with fairly coarse texture
(from Photoshop output of "mezzotint" or "screened" monochrome images). This
was done without a vacuum frame, and worked fine. I'd like to try the fine
grain gravure with a 1200 dpi screen that you are discussing - but before
spending out for a fine screen, is this possible without a full vacuum frame
to ensure the fine screen is in total contact?

Best

Henry


On 2/6/08 12:10, "Chris Nze" <cnze@club-internet.fr> wrote:

Thanks for keeping us inform  . I am collecting tools to make polymer
photogravure and I am interest to hear feedback on difference betwenn
plate. I heistate betwenn starting with imageon that I will fix to zinc
plate or with solar or km plate.

Best

At 11:36 02/06/2008, you wrote:
A couple by the ways...

I am trying to go back through the archives looking for any
references to possible differences.

The other note was that I recently took a workshop at the
Kala Institute in Berkeley on Photoetching (gravure) and we used
the KM 43 plates there - successfully.

I may try a comparison given I have both plates actually (five
KM 73 plates from Boxcar). But it will take a few days.




--
Jon Lybrook
Intaglio Editions
http://intaglioeditions.com
303-818-5187