[alt-photo] Re: Metalotype

[Diana Bloomfield]

I'm with you, Paul.  Thanks.

Diana

On Mar 11, 2010, at 11:08 AM, Paul Viapiano wrote:

> You must be kidding...well, there goes all my fun! I had to check my  
> calendar to make sure I hadn't slept through the last 20 days of  
> March...
>
> Anyway...God, if you're going to go that far, just make some goddam  
> inkjet prints and be done with it. Is there anyone left on this  
> earth who values effing craft anymore?
>
> Digital brought technology to music and now we have complete idiots  
> "writing" and "playing" music, who can't read a lick of it and  
> wouldn't know an Eb from a D#...and they think they're musicians on  
> the same level as a Yo Yo Ma.
>
> Paul
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <C.Breukel at lumc.nl>
> To: <alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:06 AM
> Subject: [alt-photo] Metalotype
>
>
>> Got this mail form Mike Ware some time ago (I am on a mailing list of
>> mike, guess some people already heard about it). Anyway: food for
>> thought I guess....
>>
>> Cor
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>
>> Metalotype:  Metal-jet Printing
>>
>>
>> The current practice of Hybrid Digital-Alternative Printing involves
>> making large negatives digitally with an inkjet printer, in order to
>> contact-print them photographically onto hand-coated 'alternative'
>> sensitized papers of the 'single-layer' category, such as cyanotype,
>> argyrotype, palladiotype, platinotype and chrysotype.
>>
>>
>> With the advance of digital printing technology, this wasteful and
>> complex procedure could soon become redundant: to obtain an identical
>> result, it would only be necessary to fill an inkjet printer  
>> cartridge
>> with a solution of Chemical A, and print the 'potential image' onto a
>> sheet of fine paper. This would then be 'developed' in a solution of
>> Chemical B, which reacts with Chemical A to produce the desired image
>> substance in situ, probably in nanoparticle form; the print is then
>> washed and dried. Depending on the choice of Chemicals A and B, the
>> result could be a plain paper print in: Prussian blue, silver,
>> palladium, platinum or gold, with the image substance embedded in the
>> surface fibres of the paper, just the same as hand-coated siderotypes
>> printed photochemically - and laboriously - from negatives.
>>
>>
>> Such prints should be indistinguishable in their chemical and  
>> physical
>> structure from those made by the  traditional methods.
>> I suggest the names Metal-jet Printing or Metalotype for this  
>> procedure.
>> It would have the following advantages:
>>
>>
>> 1) It would eliminate all the alternative photographic  
>> paraphernalia: no
>> UV light sources, printing frames or vacuum easels,  coating  
>> implements,
>> safe lighting, photosensitive chemicals, etc. This might encourage  
>> more
>> digital photographers to try 'alternative' image substances and fine
>> papers.
>>
>>
>> 2) It would eliminate the large internegative - which is costly in
>> ceramic-coated film and pigment printer inks.
>>
>>
>> 3) The wet processing procedure would be simple, reusable,  
>> economic, and
>> eco-friendly.
>>
>>
>> 4) For a print of an 'average scene', it would consume less than one
>> tenth of the amount of precious metal required at present, because  
>> none
>> is washed away in the processing. Saving over 90% of the cost of
>> platinum, palladium, silver, or gold would be a significant benefit
>> which could widen the appeal and use of these precious metals as  
>> print
>> media.
>>
>>
>> The possibilities do not end there, however: because there is no need
>> for the imaging system to be photochemical, a wide range of simple
>> chemical reactions - by metathesis or by reduction-oxidation -  
>> could be
>> employed to make digital photographic prints on plain paper in all  
>> sorts
>> of stable pigments never previously usable; for instance, the  
>> insoluble
>> sulphides, selenides, chromates, and iodides  of various heavy metals
>> such as lead, bismuth, mercury, cadmium or silver. Besides the  
>> familiar
>> Prussian blue, other coloured ferrocyanides and ferricyanides are
>> possible. In addition to the traditional platinum, palladium and  
>> gold,
>> the other 'noble' metals could be reduced, as images in rhenium,
>> ruthenium, rhodium, osmium and iridium (should anyone wish to do so).
>> Three-colour printing should also be possible. Other metals and more
>> exotic pigments will suggest themselves to the inventive chemist as
>> potential image substances, but the chemistry required is mostly
>> elementary - CM 101.
>>
>>
>> The difficulties could be expected to arise with achieving an
>> appropriate rheology of the "ink" solution of Chemical A for the
>> piezoelectric printheads, by adjusting its surface tension and  
>> viscosity
>> parameters for the best distribution in the cellulose paper fibres.
>> Doubtless these are deep commercial secrets, already well- 
>> understood by
>> the manufacturers of printer inks. A benefit would come from the  
>> "ink"
>> being a true solution, not a particulate suspension, so there would  
>> be
>> no problems of clogged printheads; there may however be issues of
>> corrosion and toxicity with some chemicals.
>>
>>
>> Is there anyone out there with the technical know-how to convert an
>> inkjet printer to this use? I'm just amazed that it seems not to have
>> been done already. A chemically-dedicated inkjet printer could simply
>> eliminate the negative and the photochemistry. This is the logical  
>> end
>> result of 'hybrid practices' using digital technology. Unless one  
>> chose
>> to embrace pure analogue photographic practice, it would be time to  
>> bid
>> farewell to all siderotypes!
>> (Meanwhile, I continue to make them...)
>> Mike Ware, March 2010
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr Mike Ware
>> 20 Bath Road
>> Buxton
>> Derbyshire
>> SK17 6HH
>> UK
>>
>>
>> +44 (0)1298 78604
>> mike at mikeware.co.uk
>> http://www.mikeware.co.uk
>>
>>
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