contact printing

[mark e mark]

Quick question -Why buy an expensive contact printing frame, rather than just place a piece of glass on top of the neg. Has anyone done both, any difference in the results. Surely the glass will press down evenly across the negative + paper! I am looking to contact print 5x7 (still waiting for the camera).

[Mark Woods]

That will work. If it doesn't lay flat you can always add the heavy duty paper clips (the large ones that a like a small clamp). That and a piece of Masonite and you're good to go.

[Paul Metcalf]

If you want to check the exposure on POP or similar alternative printing processes it's nearly impossible to do with just glass (negative and paper don't remain in registration). That's the principle advantage of a contact printing frame, it's split in the back so you can check exposure on one half without losing registration. But you can also just use several sheets of paper at different exposure times much like enlarging, gets a bit expensive when doing Pt/Pd contacts.

[AF-ULF]

A split back frame is nice if you are doing alt. processes which require you to check the exposure.

For silver printing it is not nearly as important. I used a sheet of glass for a while before getting a frame. The glass sheet worked okay, but it was more difficult to get the paper and negative aligned precisely. I had problems with the negative moving as I lowered the glass down onto the negative and paper. With a split back frame, I can hold the paper and negative in place with gentle pressure while putting the back in place. Some papers curl quite a bit (like Lomida), which makes maintaing a good registry between the negative and paper difficult.

A sheet of glass will work fine, but for me it is a bit more difficult to use.

[Oren Grad]

I actually prefer using just a piece of glass. Contact printing frames almost always give me Newton's rings in the prints because of the uneven pressure exerted by the springs, while plain glass usually works fine.

The only caveat is that to exert adequate and even pressure, the glass needs to be pretty heavy and absolutely rigid. I use 1/8-inch thick glass that's substantially larger than the paper I'm printing on. So for example, I might contact print a 5x7 negative on 8x10 paper, using a 12x15 piece of thick glass.

EDIT: In light of the other comments, I should add that I'm contact printing on ordinary silver paper - I don't do any alt-process printing.

[CP Goerz]

If you plan on any other type of printmaking besides silver then you'll need a frame to hold the neg in tight contact over a long period of time. It allows for the checking the cyanotype/van dyke/whatever image without disturbing registration, this is something you can't do with a sheet of glass. If your plan is contact printing with silver then a sheet of heavy glass taped to the baseboard is all you need and all I use myself.



Edit...I guess all three of us were writing the same advice at the same time ;-)

[jp]

If you use a sheet of glass, put some hinging/framing tape around the edges, even if the edges are smooth, and remember to touch the glass only on the tape. This will keep the glass clean from fingerprints.

I use a sheet of plain glass for my 35mm, 120, 4x5 contact prints. Yes, sometimes it's hard to keep the negative and paper perfectly aligned. For 8x10 which I hope to do soon, I got a contact printing frame like discussed and expect it to provide better alignment for printing 8x10s on 8x10 paper.

[Robert Hughes]

Why buy an expensive contact printing frame, rather than just place a piece of glass on top of the neg.
Why buy a $1000+ lens and a $3000 camera, when a $50 lens in a box, stopped down a couple clicks, will work just as well? Some people just gotta spend spend that money!

[Jan Pietrzak]

Mark,

I have never liked a split back printing frame for silver contact sheets to much work. I have a paper box bigger than 11x14 (?12x15 may be?) it has a piece of black felt in the bottom. The glass was cut to just fit inside the box (an 1/8 to a 1/4 inch to spare). Cut a opening in one end of the box, so you can put your finger in to pick up the glass. When I am done I put the top of the paper box on and put it away. Nice easy and clean. Oh!! make sure the glass shop sands all the edges of the glass. And also make sure that they did not scratch the surface.

So old print paper box
Black felt to fit the bottom
Glass to fit inside

Easy any cheap to make, and yes I do have a number of split back frame for when I do Platinum/Palladium prints.

Jan Pietrzak

ps the glass is 1/4 plate

[Michael Wainfeld]

If you decide to go this route, make sure the piece of glass you obtain is flawless. I bought an 8X10 1/4 inch piece of glass, had the edges polished, but I did not notice that it had a few really small imperfections, which of course showed in the print. :(

[Michael Wainfeld]

If you decide to go this route, make sure the piece of glass you obtain is flawless. I bought an 8X10 1/4 inch piece of glass, had the edges polished, but I did not notice that it had a few really small imperfections, which of course showed in the print. :(

[mark e mark]

Thanks you all for the quick responses. That's what I love about this forum - it's a great resource. Jan- I like the idea about the print box - keep dust off the glass when not in use. Just have to wait for the camera to turn up now.

[Jan Pietrzak]

Mark,

The one I made, in 1973, is still in it's old paper box, out in the darkroom.

Jan Pietrzak

[Atlo]

i've heard of people buying xray viewers off of evil bay and using them for contact printing.
they can actually be pretty cheap sometimes.

[Robert Hughes]

i've heard of people buying xray viewers off of evil bay and using them for contact printing.
And the best part is, you can contact print your hand - without needing film! :)

http://www.spectrumdata.com.au/uploads/Xray_hand.jpg

[Jan Pietrzak]

Robert,

I would love to have one of those old viewers from the Buster Brown Shoe Stores. Just think of all those x-Rays done to kids feet. And we won't even want to talk about the clerks selling shoes.

Jan Pietrzak

ps you all remember Buster Brown ???????? and what was the dogs name