From: Tom Ferguson (tomf2468@pipeline.com)
Date: 03/08/02-10:50:29 AM Z
First off, I should admit loudly that I'm new to digital desktop negs. I too
am starting from Dan's book (that you Dan). The project started as a way to
generate some "play" negs without the cost of big film, it has slowly become
more important.
I'm using an Epson 1200 (6 color) and the always popular Pictorico. I've
tried the 3M overhead film, not as good.... Your material is very important
here. Soon I'll have to try my friend's Epson 3000, as I want bigger negs.
I've had better results with the color fill method (smoother tones, less
"step" looking), but that is from a SMALL sample of tests. I assume the
0/71/71/0 versus 51 issue is related to how much ink your printer can put on
your media. I'm using 71 without problems.
I've had good results on cyan and gum negs using Dan's "Pictorico Silver
OPH.acv" curve (from his website, not the book). Both processes will need
some curve tweaking (depending on the printing paper you chose), but it was
a good starting point for me.
I've had less luck with platinum (flat highlights). For my setup, I would
really need to tweak Dan's curve (or perhaps increase the ink load on the
"paper"). But again, I've done very little plat/dig work. Mostly it has been
cyan and gum.
I suspect a lot of people's "success" with this has to do with the person's
ability to tweak the curves. If you aren't familar/comfortable with
PhotoShop curves you will be unhappy with the method. Everyone prints a bit
differently and on different papers and different light sources. There is no
way Dan's curves can be "perfect" of all of us!
The curve I started with was Dan's 1270 silver curve from:
http://www.danburkholder.com/Pages/misc_pages/inkjetneg.htm
-- Tom Ferguson http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com> From: David Oliver <david.oliver@xtra.co.nz> > Subject: Inkjet transparencies for Pt/Pd and Cyanotype > > Dare I ask another computer-related question? Well, about making desktop > negatives, and Judy has suggested that negatives are the real problem today. > > Having just set myself up with UV box, printing frame, cyanotype kit, Pt/Pd > kit, etc, I am about to run some step wedge tests for my setup and paper. I > will be printing inkjet negatives onto Pictorico film using an Epson 1290, > and following Dan B's excellent book. I have some digital step wedges I > will apply the relevant curves to and then expose for different times to > determine the best exposure time. > > Dan has two methods of creating a spectral density negative - the "colorize" > method and the "color table" method. Any recommendations on which method > might be better? Can the color table method really produce a negative with > enough density? > > I would also like to check on the best CYMK color to use for both Pt/Pd and > Cyanotype. Dan suggests 0/71/71/0 in his book, but the CD that comes with > the book mentions 0/51/51/0 also. Has anyone refined this any further? > Would I need to check different colors for Pt/Pd and Cyanotype, or would > they react similarly?
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