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>Hi - this is Jim Browning. I don't know if Dye Transfer printing is
>considered an alternative process, but I like to think of it as such,
It is.
>since the materials are not readily available. I am making my own matrix
>film in 30x40" sizes, and have my own dye set. I hope to be printing using
>more than just the three process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow), but
>others as well, such as a flesh tone, or green, as in hi-fi color. The
>process is truely continuous tone- and the prints are made on un-sensitized
>fiber photographic paper. I have also transferred to Arches papers for a
>more subdued look. The process really is good for artists, you can paint
>dyes directly onto the matrix, and transfer it with a 'painted image', or
>just to add saturation to a given area. Another nice feature is that once
>the matricies are made, they are good for a limited edition of about 50
>prints.
>I am making any formulas / processes public domain, to encourage others to
>get involved in dye printing. The coating techniques also apply to coating
>polyester film with pigmented gelatin.
>
>I am currently finishing a project
>to develop a workable matrix film emulsion / coater. I have a good emulsion
>formula, and related process for coating onto polyester film. I also have
>a dye set which transfers readily,
>and is very brilliant with good light fastness.
That is relative. You will never get a dye process as lightfast as solid
pigments.
>The dyes are wet-fast, and do not require any mordant.
>
>Currently, I am working on getting evenly coated 30x40" sheets. I use a
>32" slot coater, which is passed over the film. The film is vacuumed down
>onto a very flat large aluminum jig plate. As the coater moves over the
>film (by motor), the hot gelatin emulsion flows onto the film in a very
>even manner. There is a sprayer system under the platen which is used to
>quickly chill the plate, causing the emulsion to gel. The sheet is then
>hung up in a HEPA filtered laminar air dryer to dry. The process is fairly
>simple, and lends itself to small scale film production. Cost of a 30x40"
>sheet of Matrix film (materials only) is about $ 8.00.
>
>The emulsion is a very simple silver bromide emulsion. I use a neutral
>Kind and Knox gelatin, and I sensitize the emulsion with a small amount of
I'd get true photographic grade gelatin that is likely to be much more
reliable then food grade gelatin. There is a PhD student who is (was?) on
this list. Her work is on silver systems. You may be able to compare notes.
Luis Nadeau
nadeaul@nbnet.nb.ca
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
http://www.mi.net/dialin/awef6t/