Re: Carbo Print question

s carl king (sanking@hubcap.clemson.edu)
Wed, 25 May 1994 22:52:02 -0400 (EDT)

The information given on previous posts with regards to making carbro prints
without transfer should serve as a good starting point for anyone who has
experience with the carbro process. This has always been my working procedure
for initial proofing with carbro in order to save the special papers I use for
final prints.

I would also like to offer some observations on the carbon/carbro processes.
I have been making prints (including 3-color work) with both processes since
the early 1980s, using only hand made materials. The obserservations offered
by some authorities that first rate carbro prints cannot be made today due
to the lack of suitiable bromide papers is in my opinion inaccurate. In fact,
my experience is that several papers on the market today allow one to make
better carbros than was possible a decade ago. It is true that all
contemporary papers have some super-coating, howewever this seems to have been
reduced to such a level in some papers, particulary resin coated papers, that
the super coating does not interfere with the chemical transfer. I particulary
recommend Kodak Polycontrast 111, N surface from expereince, having made
numerous carbros with this paper with excellent highlight transfer. I have not
used the Lumninos Art Paper mentioned in the article I am responding to, but
do recall that a Luminos matte resin coated paper that I used years ago also
gave excellent results.

I should like to add that making carbro good carbro prints requires much
attention to clean working conditions, fresh chemicals, and perhaps most
importantly, adequate squeeging procedures. After some years of hand
squeeging I shifted to roller squeeging about eight years ago and the
quality of highlight retention increased rather dramatically.

Sandy King