There are two common terms for this process, i.e., Flexography and Anilin
printing, the latter not to be confused with the other "aniline" process
(Willis). Flexography with the use of rubber plates was introduced ca. 1900
and has been useful for printing on packaging material. Modern photopolymer
plates are much more recent. They are also used to print cheap paperback
editions of popular novels. The process, for a long time, was used for line
illustrations and text although in recent years 133 line screens have been
used, also for *RELIEF* printing.
The use of photopolymer plates for relief printing has been discussed off
an on on the Letterpress and Book Arts lists. Those of you on Alt-photo
looking for ideas that would make use of your hand-made prints may want to
visit the Book Arts archives and see what people have been doing with
custom made books and portfolios.
I am lucky enough to have a copy of M. & S Chayt's _Collotype_ (Anachronic
Editions, 1983) here in my collection, which was printed by (hand-set)
letterpress (5 colors!) on a variety of rag papers, bound by hand with
original collotypes tipped in and illustrated with *relief* *Nyloprints*
Needless to say that this is a book that my students/visitors have to
handle with white gloves on...
Which brings us to the next question:
>The process may be similar to that developed by Keith Howard (Safe Photo
>Etching for Photographers and Artists, Wynne Resources Lrd, 1991 ISBN
>0-9695577-0-1) which I and others have previously mentioned here.
>Poinsaing, and is described in detail in his book "Photopolymergravure: A
>New Method", Copenhagen: Borgen, 1995
Are the illustrations in these books printed off polymer plates? Intaglio
(gravure) or relief? And what about the text?
Luis Nadeau
awef6t@mi.net
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
http://www.micronet.fr/~deriencg/nadeau.html