Re: deep dark shadows monochromatic gum

Paul Gega asked (a month ago or so; I apologize for the lateness of
the reply) whether it's possible to get a monochromatic print using
three color layers but using only one negative. I didn't see an
answer to this; the answer is yes, it is possible, in fact it's all
but inevitable; what color the final monochrome becomes depends on
what pigments are used in the layers, in what proportions. But if
the real question was is it possible to get a monochromatic print
that's neutral in tone (grey and black without any color tint to it)
using three colors and one negative, the answer to that is also yes.
You can also get a neutral print using only two color layers, if you
use pigments that are complementary to each other. That's what I was
playing with when I was printing color layers on yupo and then mylar:
I was experimenting with creating different greys (from pearly or
silvery greys to pewterish greys) by overprinting different colors.

The original question was how to get really dark shadows using a
color that's not inherently really dark in itself (I think Paul was
using violet --I don't remember the pigment-- as an example). I
agree with the suggestions already made at the time, to either add a
layer of violet mixed with black, or a layer of a complementary
color, but would add a caveat from my own personal experience that
you would have to get the proportions just right, especially using a
color like viridian, to end up with a neutral or purplish black in
the shadows. In my experience, mixing the complements to your liking
and printing the mixture (with a lighter exposure) to darken the
shadows would work better. And by the way, a simpler way to do this
is by simply using a neutral tint, which is in almost all cases a
mixture of complements, different brands using different
complements. The neutral tint I use, M. Graham, is a mixture of PV
19 and PG 7 (thalo green) so it should blend well with Paul's violet.

Katharine Thayer
Received on Thu Mar 9 14:30:49 2006