Re: Photopolymer printing - searching for more information

Hi Christina,

Jim's article seems to be about Photopolymer Film as opposed to plates.
  ImagOn is one such film, made by Dupont, that can save you money by
adding the step of adhering a substrate to a plate or other base that
can be exposed and printed from. You can introduce other textures, like
wood for example, using ImagOn. Before learning that approach, I'd do
it with straight poly plates first to see if you like the results.
There are alot of variables, as with all these processes, and having one
less when you're learning will help.

Most people make 2 exposures of the plate: One using a random-dot
screen, the other using the image, generally on transparency film. The
most common problem is getting good contact between your film and plate,
generally the random-dot screen can cause huge problems if contact isn't
tight.

To answer your questions, I've heard using the random-dot screen
approach with poly plates can yield over 100 prints. You can do
multiple color drops (Clinton Cline in Denver has developed an excellent
method for registration). You can also apply ink "a la poupee" by
wiping color in to selected areas by hand. This latter approach tends
to work better with abstract images.

Strange Ross has written what I consider to be the best procedure
on-line for doing photopolymer printing:
http://www.psy.ku.dk/ross/Ph_grav.html

Best way to learn quickly and with minimal potential for frustration,
however, is to take a class.

I'd recommend one by Dan Weldon or David Hoptman if you're lucky enough
to get one. Both teach in the US and internationally. Dan 'wrote the
book' on using polymer plates for intaglio which is a good basis of
knowledge too: http://www.solarplate.com/

David's approach is more involved than Dan's, and requires more
expensive equipment (an exposure unit and vacuum frame) but yield more
photographic (as opposed to higher-contrast, graphical, or painterly)
results. Classes with David Hoptman in Santa Fe:
http://www.makingartsafely.com

Good luck. Let us know how you're doing.

Jon

Christina wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Based on the article “Photopolymer printing on a budget” by Jim Read
>
> http://www.alternativephotography.com/articles/art047.html
>
> I am looking for some more information about it.
>
> My questions are:
>
> - Can I use the plates as often as I want?
>
> - Is it possible to make more coloured prints? (e.g. more layer
> with different colours on one paper)
>
> Thank you very much and lg
>
> Christina
>
>
>
> http://www.fotografisches.at
>
> ** -------Joch Christina-------**
>
>
>

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