Carbon daunting? Was Re: preshrink was register p/negs

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From: Sandy King (sanking@hubcap.clemson.edu)
Date: 02/11/01-11:38:55 PM Z

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for your comments about my chapter on carbon in Coming into Focus. I
will admit that the process can seem somewhat daunting and it is true that
in the early stages there is a rather steep learning curve. Ultimately,
however, it is really quite simple and easy to work. One of the great
advantges of carbon is that it is a really simple chemical process that is
relatively unaffected by contamination problems that raise havoc with the
silver and iron processes.

Another consideration is that the basic materials needed (gelatin,
pigments, potassium dichroamte) are very inexpensive, and yet with these
simple materials you have the most flexible (any color print on any
support) and permanent (carbon is a permanent as the support on which the
image is placed) of all photographic printing systems. Carbon images do not
fade, stain or tarnish, and there is a true elegance and simplicity in
their making.

Sandy King

>It was my first purchase using Amazon.com. What I wrote wasn't very polished
>or complete since I had read only a few of the essays. Now I have also read
>Sandy King's essay on monochrome carbon printing which is very well done
>(but daunting in its requirements) and Peter Fredrick's essay on Fredrick
>temperaprint which is sketchier and not my personal cup of tea in its look,
>but nevertheless very intriguing and tempting to try (not as daunting).
>
>The results of my first shrinkage test are in. They are so unexpected that I
>think I should do the test over again and maybe a third time if the first
>two don't agree. Basically, HOT AND SHORT preshrink produced no shrinkage
>along what I think is the grain (from within deckle to within deckle on BFK
>Rives 250lb - the 22" side) but a whopping 1.8% along the 30" side. COOL &
>PROLONGED preshrink for 30 hours produced 1.64% shrinkage along the grain,
>and 1.2% along the 30". I actually used 1/4 sheets torn from the original
>22x30 piece because of tray and space considerations. I measured 275mm by
>380mm on the untouched paper, drawing pencil lines with stops and measuring
>throughout with a fairly finely printed plastic ruler that I use for
>measuring the windows of mats.
>
>Sarah

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