FotoDave@aol.com
Mon, 11 Jan 1999 12:03:54 -0500 (EST)
>> Since the new 6-color inkjets can give full scale reflexion copies, I don't
see why paper negatives couldn't be used to provide excellent continuous
tone carbons or platinotypes.
>>
Hi Luis,
Sorry I missed the details when I read your note above (that is, about
carbon). I think for carbon it might be easier (I haven't done much carbon
except a few tests), but at least logically I can understand that the exposure
range of carbon can be easily adjust by the thickness of the gelatine and the
amount of ink / pigment used.
Thus if one adjust the range to be about 1.50, for example, and let's say that
the inkjet dot can have a black with density 1.80 or more, then one would have
an exposure margin of 0.30, which is reasonably easy to control.
I don't know how one can change the contrast of Pt/Pd. I know there is a way
but I don't do Pt/Pd, so I never read the fine details on the method. But at
least from a theoretical point of view, it will be easier if one tries to
adjust the contrast (increase the control a lot) rather than trying to get
higher-density negative through inkjet printing.
But one cannot achieve continous-tone print. One might be able to achieve
dotted print approaching continous-tone look. That is why I used the highly
exeggerated example of 48000 dpi printer. :) People might hate me when I
say things like this, but one day when the concept of digital printing becomes
so clear to everyone, then they will believe me and realize that I have said
this.
My question is, if we realize that we are printing dots (that are approaching
continous tone *VISUALLY*, not physically), then why would one wants to use
Pt/Pd? Why don't use simple gum? This is not truly a question that I am
literally asking. I am just saying that one could achieve the same/similar
effect. I can see the reason for using of carbon, however, because carbon
pigment can be prepared in advance but sensitized just prior to use. I don't
know whether that is also true for Pt.
I am going to prepare a few digital gum prints and put them on my Web site
just for display purpose only. As mentioned in the journal, the next day after
I successfully printed my first step tablet with gum, I got a nice gum print
from digital negative. Digital is boring to me (I have 2 degress in analog
electrical engineering and digital computer engineering and have written and
maintain programs similar to Illustrator (vector program) and Photoshop
(bitmap), so they are boring to me, no mystery, no challenge; but they don't
offer CONVENIENCE and speed), so I never did more images with my printer; but
some have felt that I only talk theoretically but maybe haven't done even a
single digital print, so I will print (easily) a few digital gum just for the
purpose of printing them. ;-)
In "The Sound of Music" there is a song saying "when you know the notes to
sing, you can sing most everything" (or every song?). In continous-tone
printing, it is, "when you know the scale to print, you can print most
everything." However, in digital printing, the whole thing reduces to a
simple, boring "when you know a dot to print, you can print most everything."
Dave
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