[alt-photo] Re: Metalotype

Thu Mar 11 23:03:44 GMT 2010

Oh yeah.  Hadn't thought about that, Paul.

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 4:32 PM, Paul Viapiano <viapiano at pacbell.net> wrote:

> Yeah, but it'll be a bitch getting those wood panels through the rear feed
> slot.
>
> Paul
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Gerling" <
> keith.gerling at gmail.com>
> To: "The alternative photographic processes mailing list" <
> alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 10:48 AM
> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Metalotype
>
>
>
>  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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