Re: Photogravure

I suppose I do mean intaglio prints. A positive copy is transferred by ultra violet light unto a photographically sensitive zinc plate which is de eloped,hardened in water, acquatinted, and then etched in an acid bath. With my work the original is generated photographically. For my attempts at photogravure, I followed the instructions in Keepers of Light to make my only successful plate. Carbon tissue is difficult to get here in the U.K. and it wasn't easy floating the emulsion off the support onto the copper plate. I wouldn't mind trying again because it does produce such a superb range of tones and it looks so beautiful in etching paper. ----- Original Message -----
  From: Dalyvoss@aol.com
  To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
  Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 3:21 PM
  Subject: Re: Photogravure

  In a message dated 1/5/2005 9:47:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, HNMM@hcleary.freeserve.co.uk writes:
    Keep me in touch with your efforts. I have only managed to make one copper plate and I decided you need the skills of a photographer of a century ago for the production of the negative and the skills of a master printmaker to produce the copper plate. They are beautiful images however. Is photo-etching considered as photo-alt by the list? It falls between two schools as printmakers sneer at the use of photography to create the image and photographers regard the production of a metal plate as non-photographic. I do a lot of photo-etching work and consider it my substitute for photogravure. Hellena-----
  Hi Hellena,

  I'm unsure of what you mean by "photo etching" work. Intaglio prints?

  How were you making your negatives? I will be using digital negatives printed on my epson 1280 to begin with.

  As for me, my BFA is in printmaking, but finding a press to use was so hard that for many years i have ended up doing a lot more painting than printmaking. last summer i bit the bullet and bought an intaglio press of my own ( and explained to my 12 year old Buick that it will have to run for another 12 years :o) ), after having seen Cy Decosse's photogravures at AIPAD. It was love at first sight, and i realized it is a process (there's that word again), where i can use both my photography and printmaking skills. Sounds easy! HA HA HA!!!

  today my task is working on building the big studio tables where all this will happen! (no university should ever graduate an art major without credits in a good woodshop class!)

  susan

  dalyvoss.com/paintings
  Susan Daly Voss
  lower upstate NY
Received on Wed Jan 5 11:08:39 2005