Re: dye x-fer & hello
Richard Knoppow (dickburk@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 13 Jun 1997 16:23:05 -0700
At 05:25 AM 6/13/97 -0500, Satre Stuelke wrote:
>Hi all!
>
>I hope I'm posting this correctly...
>
>I am an artist currenty living in Chicago, Illinois, USA and I have been
>struggling with conventional photographic media trying to match (as closely
>as possible) the color quality of the dye transfer process found in old
>magazine ads and technicolor movies.
>
>Needless to say, I have not been able to even remotely approximate an
>additive color balance with subtractive technology.
>
>So I thought I may have to try an alternative process, but I have only done
>one-color processes in the past (such as cyannotype, palladium, etc.). Can
>anyone on the list help me?
>
>Thanks!
>Satre
>
>
>
Dye transfer is a subtractive process. Technicolor used a form of
dye-transfer printing combined with color-separation cameras, which
photographed on three seperate films, until about 1951 when use of these
cameras was discontinued in favor of Eastman color negative in conventional
cameras. The printing process was continued until the 1970's. The look of
old Technicolor films comes partly from the laboratory practice and partly
from the conventions of lightling, makeup and costume design advised by
Technicolor. English producers liked a different look so older Technicolor
films from England tend to have more subtile color than the US ones.
The same with magazine color. The four-color half-tone process is really
a subtractive process. Some illustrations were made from dye-transfer
prints, some directly from Kodachrome transparencies and many from
three-color carbro prints.
Kodak recently discontinued dye transfer materials. Others on this list
can advise if someone has taken up the slack.
Materials for three color carbon or carbro printing are available and
this process may give you what you want. Again, there are others here who
can advise you on availability of materials and details of working it.
Three-color carbro was pretty much the standard for advertising art
before the easier to handle dye transfer process superceded it around the
late 1940's.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to see an original issue Technicolor
print these days. The nitrate film is getting crispy and dangerous to run
through a projector, and the prints must be run in a theater that meets the
old fire laws for nitrate film.
They do NOT look like the modern re-prints from old negatives. Too bad:-(
----
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles,Ca.
dickburk@ix.netcom.com