>Luis -
>
>Surely you jest? After watching Klaus Pollmeier and Al Strauss (both
>formerly of this list) demonstrate carbon I can only say how simple
>carbon really is.
==
You hit it right on the head! Have you ever watched someone play a
Stradivarius? Nothing could LOOK simpler. Can you play the same instrument
with the same level of virtuosity? I think not.
Carbon and bromoil look amazingly simple in the hands of a master. You go
home and make me one excellent print from each of 3 different negs, in 2
monochrome colors on 2 different types of support and let's see how many
months you need to achieve that, in Texas during the summer.
I have written monographs on most of the main alt-photo processes used
today. I know what sells and what doesn't. I have been teaching workshops
on and off for about 20 years. The workshops and demos are always well
rehearsed and everybody is impressed at how easy it seems to be. I have not
done a formal survey of who is still using carbon or platinum say, one year
later but I am pretty sure that for everyone who has given up on platinum,
there are 10 who gave up on carbon. Nine of latter are now making
platinums:)
At least one professional printer on this list tried carbon and then gave
it up. Can you come forward?
Can anyone name *one* person making a decent living making custom
*monochrome* carbons? I certainly don't know of anyone.
The number of things that can and will go wrong with carbon is staggering.
For some unknown reason, most of these problems disappear after a
considerable amount of experience has been gained. Most people don't hang
in there long enough to become sufficiently experienced however.
The process *is* workable but its main problem is the amount of time it
takes between tests compared to platinum. With the latter, in *minutes* you
know that your print is a little overexposed, could use a little more
contrast, etc. With carbon, it takes hours!
And then, if it is a little too hot in the room you will experience
frilling or reticulation, usually with the print that had the perfect
exposure... In the winter, you get air bubbles caused by warming up cold
water, especially with thick art papers. The list goes on and on...
I think I could count experienced carbon printers on this list on the
fingers of one hand and not one of them will ever try to make a living at
it.
Been there, done that, and got the T-shirt;-)
Luis
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