On Carbon Transfer Printing

[mat4226]

Hey there guys! Hopefully this isn't OT, but just wanted to say that after a long day of first attempting the carbon transfer process, I have considerably more respect for those here on the forums that regularly print this way. Though I mainly spent the day getting myself acquainted with the process, practicing the techniques, and making a few test strips, I'm starting to realize this is a deep, deep hole to get into.

Now onto the Q&A:

1. The minimum temp I'm getting from my darkroom sinks is 72 degrees Fahrenheit. When pre-soaking my final support (single transfer), should I adjust the recommended 15 min time? How about with the 1.5 min tissue soak prior to transfer?

2. What's the best way to get rid of excess grey streaks of tissue after warm water development?

Big thanks in advance for your input, I hope to have some decent images to show this forum by Christmas. ^__^

[Andrew O'Neill]

1. 72F lets see... that about 22 Celcius. I've never mated at that temperature but it should be okay. I mate at around 13 to 15C. I always keep "dead water" or rather water that has gassed out (no micro-bubble issues when transferring) in the fridge to get those temps.
15 minutes is too long to soak your final support, me thinks. What are you transfering onto? I transfer onto art paper sized with acrylic medium. My soak time for the support is 15 secs. The tissue gets a longer soak. 2:30 minutes.
2. Describe what the grey streaks look like. Do they go in the direction of the pull when you separate tissue from substrate? I used to get these until I increased the amount of sugar in the glop. For an 8% gelatin solution, I use 50g of sugar. 10% gelatin solution, 70g. What temperature do you develop at?

Please provide details of your glop recipe and what you transfer onto. A lot of experimentation must take place to make it work for you. Everything that I suggested are only things that you can try and may not solve your problems.

Are you aware of the carbon group on yahoo started by Sandy King a couple of years ago?
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/C...r/messages?o=1

Or Bostick & Sullivans carbon forum?
http://bostick-sullivan.invisionzone.com/

I put together a video a month or so ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmpTgDlsr3o

Cheers!

andy

[John Jarosz]

Hi Mat,

Yes, it's a very deep hole. The practitioners all have their way of doing things. I can assure you that no two printers do things exactly alike.

1. Final support soak. Most people do this with cold water. I hope you mean that this is also the bath where you mate the exposed tissue to the final support (underwater). I usually have mine very cold - in the 50's (F). The other point on this water is that it should be still water. That is, water that has stood in a tank or tray overnight so it can outgas all the air dissolved in it. Doing this seems to eliminate microbubbles that can show up during development. I'd chill the water with ice.

2. People that make their own tissue call the emulsion glop only when it's in the glop stage. After you make tissue, then it's called tissue, or pigment. If you are referring how to get uniform middle grey areas in your print, well, that's one of the challenges. I'd avoid images with large areas of featureless middle grey until you get up to speed.

Since you are referring to glop, I assume you are making your own tissue?

Bostick & Sullivan has a Carbon Printing Forum. You might check in there to get more information as most of the carbon printers hang out there.

You'll also get a LOT of conflicting opinions about how to do things. That's because people tend to report techniques that work for them in their darkroom with their materials.

Your results will also be linked to the phase of the moon, the orbit of Jupiter and a couple of other factors which I forget. Someone will mention them.

Good luck.

John

[mat4226]

Thanks for the quick replies guys, I think I'm starting to see what my issue was here.

I'm not making my own tissues, I'm using some B&S premade sheets that seem to work quite well thus far considering my awfully sloppy technique. Right now I'm seeing the the mating bath should probably be a lower temp, with a significantly less pre-soak of final support, AND it needs to be dead water.

@Andrew I am aware of this group, just haven't invested too much time over there yet. The streaks I'm getting ARE in the direction of the final peel, but they're settling 1/2-1" outside the print area.

@John thanks for the nomenclature tips, I'll be sure to call a tissue a tissue from now on.

Thanks again guys!

[Andrew O'Neill]

The streaks are outside the print area? Not at all in the print area? If they are outside the print area, have you tried rubbing them off?

andy

[mat4226]

Yes, it's working for the most part, I've also tried a wet sponge. Just double-checking.

Also, I love the video you posted! It's a great overview for the steps, and I didn't even notice the no gloves thing until I saw people jumping you over on APUG about it.

At this point, I'm just happy that I got one good test strip exposed, developed, and staying on the paper. Speaking of which, I'm using fixed out 11x14 Agfa RC paper from the 80's. Works great and I have a HUGE supply from the old photo lab down the street.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Glad you liked the video. Thank you! Yes, I thought that was a bit overboard about the gloves. I always wear gloves, but going back and forth from carbon stuff to video camera to carbon and so on... I forgot to put them on, me thinks. I didn't even realize until someone on youtube mentioned it.
I made some nice prints on RC paper a year or so ago. If I recall, the soak time for that paper was only a few seconds. Just enough time to mate with the tissue.
The area outside the image, is it getting slightly exposed? How are you masking off your negs?

andy

[Dcohio]

I start to reply then put my daughter to bed when I come back its been said for me. I do warn you though it is addicting. I'm wallowing around in this hole with you. 1 thing I recommend is to keep good notes, I'm finding it very important when need to back track. This is something I'm forcing my self to do and it has helped. Now if I can get the right contrast I want in my prints then get massive relief I will be happy. If I don't get it soon my wife might divorce me!
Doug

[Jay DeFehr]

My setup is very primitive, I don't have a thermometer, or level or anything fancy, and it works pretty well. I had some problems with my first few prints because the red sheet protector I was using as rubylith wasn't effective, and I had some frilling. I switched to the black plastic that paper comes in and the problem was solved. I also printed a neg before my tissue was completely dry and ruined a negative. Impatience tax. I keep my transfer water in the refrigerator and use it right out of the refrigerator for my transfers. I'm making my own tissue and using fixed out photo paper for my final support. I soak my paper for about 2 min, and my tissue for about 1 min, then mate and transfer. I don't use glass or weight on my transfer, and I allow 15-30 minutes, then develop in hot tap water. I know it's primitive, and I'm probably very lucky to get any results at all, but it actually works pretty well. I've restricted myself to small formats, and I think that helps. I'm doing mostly 3x4, and a few 4x5s, but even these small prints are beautiful.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Hey Jay, for masking off negative borders, I've heard of some people using electrical tape and even masking tape. I use rubylith tape, and it can be used over and over again.

Now if I can get the right contrast I want in my prints then get massive relief I will be happy

I have never used B&S tissue, but I hear that it is thin. If you want max relief, make sure you choose an appropriate negative with appropriate density range and one that has lots of contrast with black tones next to white. Eventually try pouring your own tissue, then you can really play around with relief then.