[alt-photo] Re: Metalotype

[Keith Gerling]

I'm excited.  Identical tricolor gumprints in one pass with no pesty
clearing-bath hassles.  Think of all the time that I'll save!



> 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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>>
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