Carbon easy;good carbon difficult

TERRY KING (KINGNAPOLEONPHOTO@compuserve.com)
Wed, 04 Feb 1998 07:59:20 -0500

Message text written by Greg Schmitz
>With just a little common sense just about anybody
that can follow an instruction sheet can do carbon - tissue and
all. Like many other "alternative" or "post-factory" process I have
seen the descriptions seem intimidating but the actual processes are
pretty simple (even under adverse conditions). Perhaps the devil is
in the details, but in the main the actual process is simplicity
itself.<

In some ways Greg is right. It is easy to make a carbon print especially
with Autotypes G25 tissue which comes in burnt sienna only.

To make a really good four colour carbon print is a damn sight more
difficult. Check out Gerard Aniere's beautiful bluish carbons at the
National Portrait Gallery's exhibition of photographs of Edwardian High
Society. There is a very fine print of the Queen Mother aged about five
compared with her current age of 97. I have a stunning 20 x 16 four colour
carbon by Gerard which is very impressive. He will also make four colour
carbons on commisssion.

Those aspiring to emulate high quality carbon printing may wish to note
that Charles Berger from Sacramento will be giving a hands on workshop at
Hands-On Pictures in Richmond Surrey on 9 and 10 May with a lecture on the
previous evening.

As there will only be about eight places on the workshop it is advisable to
get in there quickly. This is also trrue for the Russ Young pin hole
sessions in April and the daguerreotype and wet collodion sessions in May.

Terry King