Not sure I can call myself a Carbon Printer yet, very pleased with my first attempts.

[Ed Bray]

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions.

Solutions for Carbon Transfer Printing (plus copious amounts of water too).


Solutions for Carbon Printing by Ed Bray, on Flickr

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Damn, Eddie I need to make labels like that! Wow! Nice!

[Ed Bray]

Latest attempt today from 8 exposures made on the North Welsh Mountains. I liked the fact that the weather was awful (Heavy Mist & Rain) along with the ruins of some very old dwellings and then amongst them I found part of the skull of a sheep. It all seemed very bleak and fitting.

Unfortunately, the digital capture of the image (taken on a DSLR with a long zoom lens) does not do the 5x7 contact print justice.

This was with the same spec glop as before and the tissue was sensitised with a 3% solution of Ammonium Dichromate (mixed 1:2 with Acetone).

[Andrew O'Neill]

You made a carbon print, so you are a carbon printer! You should be pleased. Very good for your first attempt. What film did you use?

[Vaughn]

Excellent, Ed! What was your total amount of sensitizer/acetone mix did you use for a 5x7?

[Ed Bray]

You made a carbon print, so you are a carbon printer! You should be pleased. Very good for your first attempt. What film did you use?

Adox 25 at 25. Weather was awful, thick mist with heavy drizzle.

Excellent, Ed! What was your total amount of sensitizer/acetone mix did you use for a 5x7?

Thank Vaughn, to date I have only had one print that has an issue and that was the forerunner to the image posted above where the black surround at the top of the image came away during the development stage, I have no idea why, I did nothing different than before or after.

I used 3ml of 3% Ammonium Dichromate with 6ml of Acetone. Poured on in two steps and used a 1" foam brush to spread it across the tissue. I go horizontal then vertical, then diagonally one way and then diagonally the other way before going back across it horizontally. I then pour the remaining solution and repeat the process across the tissue as previously stated.

My thanks again to Jim for his patience with me.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Eddie, I would go up in exposure from what I see here. Maybe sensitizer as well. Start with exposure first. One change at a time.

[Ed Bray]

Not posted much lately, been a bit busy converting the darkroom to a more Carbon based structure.

Sink now fully plumbed in, with 3 sets of hot and cold (one as a mixer) and an additional cold for a wash tank. The 1 metre wide cooker hood for fume extraction has another benefit, it houses 2x 25 watt tungsten bulbs which give a great 'carbon safelight'. I will be making a short hardwood draining board to fit between the wall and the deep well of the sink. I am also going to mount my CPP2 in the window (currently covered by blackout material but that will be replaced by 3/4" ply. When the Devere 507 eventually goes I will mount an Air Conditioner high in that corner with my film (and tissue) dryer underneath it.

I've just got the soft rubber flooring to install and I will move out the LPL enlarger and mount the UV lightbox in it's place.



I took the opportunity to make some more tissue, this time 2mm thick.



I might even have a printing session tomorrow

[Vaughn]

...Thank Vaughn, to date I have only had one print that has an issue and that was the forerunner to the image posted above where the black surround at the top of the image came away during the development stage, I have no idea why, I did nothing different than before or after...

Actually, that is quite common -- a thin black line with white on both sides can easily be "knocked off". Extra care must be taken to keep it from happening. Your "dimroom" (an alt printer's darkroom) is looking great!