From: Nick Makris (nick@mcn.org)
Date: 08/25/00-07:38:29 AM Z
Just a couple of thoughts on waxing. Be sure to test the warmth of the
iron, it doesn't take much to melt the wax or to singe the paper neg. I
also use this method on the Epson backlight film with success.
While we are on the subject of Dan's book and inkjet negs, I think I should
reiterate a point I made recently. In the book, the emphasis on the various
curves for negs assumes that one of two things is true; 1) you are
outputting to an imagesetter device, or 2) your inkjet is using traditional
4 color inks. If one of these is not true in your case, then you will not
find a suitable curve referenced or provided in the book or CD.
I spent a significant amount of time trying to figure out why I couldn't
make it work for me - the part about don't worry, the print will be OK. I
just glossed over the missing link, which is as follows:
If you are using a quad tone ink set of some type (in my case its 25, 50, 75
& 100% black inks) or your intended output device is a Lightjet 5000 at a
service bureau, the only curve you need is that (I AM BEING VERY CAREFUL IN
MY CHOICE OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS) which will cause the negative, as it
appears on screen, to take on the appearance of a suitable analog negative
generated for your particular process.
The assumption here is that what you see on your screen is what you print on
your printer. That being true, your output to either your printer or to a
Lightjet will render negs of nearly identical contrast. The quality will be
better from the Lightjet.
My opinion.
Nick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Katharine Thayer" <kthayer@pacifier.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2000 3:23 PM
Subject: Re: waxed negatives
> FotoRR@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > In Burkholder's book-Making digital Negatives for contact Printing-he
writes
> > about waxed negatives w.r.t. ink jet prints as negatives. How do you do
> > this? If you do it, how do you protect the coated paper from this
"Waxed"
> > negative and yet still print?
> > TIA for your help
> > Richard Rodgers
>
> You wax it with what is called paraffin in the US, which you find in the
> grocery store in the canning section. Its ordinary use is to seal the
> tops of jams and jellies after you put them in their jars. To wax paper
> negatives with it: warm the negative (some use an iron, the kind you
> press clothes with; I use my pancake griddle with a blotter on it to
> protect the negative from overheating and to absorb any extra wax) and
> then rub the back of the paper with a stick of the paraffin. The
> paraffin melts onto the paper and renders it translucent. Wipe carefully
> with a soft rag or paper towel while it's still warm, to avoid the wax
> puddling and drying unevenly. The waxed paper is perfectly dry and
> inert; the emulsion should need no protection from it.
>
> In my experience, the papers which take wax best are the straight bond
> papers used in laser printers and copiers; many of the papers commonly
> used for inkjet printing are coated and do not wax well. I had to throw
> away a whole batch of negatives printed on Epson Photo Quality Glossy
> Paper, which seemed to wax beautifully but days later developed cracks
> and blotches and a general degradation of the glossy coating.
> Katharine Thayer
>
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