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Jim Fitzgerald
8-Jul-2012, 21:12
Some of you know that I have a solo show opening in about a week and I thought it would be nice to show those who may be interested in learning more about carbon transfer printing how I do it. Not complete and I always have felt that one needs to take a workshop from a qualified teacher who can inspire and show the student the finer points of carbon printing. This give you the idea. It is a little long but then I seem to talk a lot!!!

youtu.be/TI5FK7PTkFw

Jim Fitzgerald
8-Jul-2012, 21:19
okay, link is messed up. Let me fix it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl5FK7PTkFw&feature=share

ghostcount
8-Jul-2012, 21:56
Thank you for the great video. Gives an excellent primer on your workshop.

Michael Clark
8-Jul-2012, 22:00
Well put together video Jim, explains a lot for a laymen like me.

Mike

Jim Fitzgerald
8-Jul-2012, 22:07
Thanks. I hope it helps!

Ed Bray
9-Jul-2012, 00:07
Great video, I really enjoyed seeing how the carbon prints were created.

mdm
9-Jul-2012, 00:13
Enjoyed the video. Weeks since I printed last.

James Morris
9-Jul-2012, 00:30
Stop making me want to do this :-)

mdm
9-Jul-2012, 01:31
Its not an expensive way to print, except in time. I say give it a try, even a 4x5 print can be a very expressive little beauty. So all you really need is Yupo or some base for the tissue, Ammonium or potassium dichromate and a final support, either fixed out paper or acrylic (or gelatin) sized watercolour. A light helps but an inexpensive 300W Osram Ultra Vitalux will be ok and fast for 4x5 and 5x7. Everything else is easily available in the supermarket, art shop, hardware store or Binn Inn bulk food type shops.

andreios
9-Jul-2012, 06:21
Thanks for this, I think, e. g. I hope that was the last flake of snow to start the avalanche - I think I already have all that is needed - now I need only time and practice..
Also, thanks for showing the possibility of actually using film as tissue support - I was unable to find (reasonable amount) of YUPO round these parts, this opens a great possibility.

Jim Fitzgerald
9-Jul-2012, 08:05
Thanks everyone. My purpose is to inspire some. I hope it was a clear description of some of the things that I do for my carbon work.

jon.oman
9-Jul-2012, 08:35
Thanks for providing us with the video!

Jim Fitzgerald
10-Jul-2012, 06:49
I hope it helps those who may be curious.

John Fink Jr.
10-Jul-2012, 07:18
Excellent video Jim. It certainly peaks my interest!!

Jim Fitzgerald
10-Jul-2012, 09:38
John, thanks. I've said it before that once you take a workshop with a qualified teacher that can explain the intricacies of the process all one then needs to do is print. Experience is the key to this and any process I feel.

David R Munson
10-Jul-2012, 09:41
A great intro video - you have immensely expanded my understanding of the process. :)

Jim Fitzgerald
10-Jul-2012, 09:49
John, thanks. I've said it before that once you take a workshop with a qualified teacher that can explain the intricacies of the process all one then needs to do is print. Experience is the key to this and any process I feel.

zenny
10-Jul-2012, 10:05
@Jim: Lovely presentation. Thanks for sharing!

/zenny

---

Support http://thehumanape.com

andreios
10-Jul-2012, 10:44
Btw, is there any carbon printer in Europe? Germany/Austria or some such place?

mdm
10-Jul-2012, 13:15
Btw, is there any carbon printer in Europe? Germany/Austria or some such place?

There seem to be many. http://www.facebook.com/groups/171932926211491/

andreios
10-Jul-2012, 13:51
There seem to be many. http://www.facebook.com/groups/171932926211491/

Sorry, I am facebookless, so this is not of any use to me...

DennisD
11-Jul-2012, 10:42
Hi Jim,
Thanks very much for the informative and most interesting video on carbon printing. It makes a world of difference to see your process and craft.

Lots of good luck with your show. I'd be there to see your work in person, but from NY it's a bit of a hike !

Best
Dennis

Jay DeFehr
11-Jul-2012, 11:41
Andreios,

There are many possibilities for tissue support -- Yupo, fixed out X-ray film, or RC printing paper (sometimes I use bad prints/test strips, etc.), drafting mylar, etc. In fact, there are lots of ways to do just about everything in carbon printing, which is what makes it such an expressive process, and so much fun.

Ed Bray
11-Jul-2012, 11:46
Jim,

Your message quota is full.

Eddie

andreios
11-Jul-2012, 14:02
THanks for some ideas, Jay! I am going to give it a try.

Jim Graves
11-Jul-2012, 14:12
Jim ... Thanks for posting this video.

Carbon is a wonderful printing medium ... and by far one of the least expensive.

Expense aside, when I saw my first carbon prints I couldn't believe the detail and tonal range ... my first reaction was "this is what black and white prints are supposed to look like." You absolutely need to see these in person ... scanned images simply do not do them justice.

I still buy my gelatin at the grocery store (Knox Gelatin packets), water color tube paints for pigment, and I still occasionally use the sun as my point of light source ... I don't even use the magnetic "frame" when pouring the glop (just pour it on the substrate ... it's viscous enough to stop flowing all by itself and a little finger help, as you show in the video, fills in the edges) and no vacuum easel ... Just 2 pieces of glass with a negative and the tissue.

No fancy equipment needed and only a tiny bit of chemical to sensitize ... and, warm water as a developer. And, every print is a contact print so every tiny detail captured by the lens is there, just the way it was photographed.

While the process seems fussy when described, it is surprisingly simple ... once it's done a couple of times it's a piece of cake.

Congratulations on your solo show and your new video.

mdm
11-Jul-2012, 14:57
However once you have the process down, a bad print in any process is still a bad print and to consistently make good prints takes skill. So in the end its not the process that matters but the skill of printing. Learning that skill is the hard part, I think its independant of process. Never trust a jpeg of a print, its too easy to gloss over your deficiencies because all you are seeing is an interpretation of its luminance.

Curt
11-Jul-2012, 16:54
Jim,

Your message quota is full.

Eddie

Vaughn yours is full too!

buggz
11-Jul-2012, 17:29
That was a good video, thanks!
I hope one day to have a place to do this kind of work.
I want a darkroom too.

John Bowen
11-Jul-2012, 18:18
Jim,
Thanks for posting such an informative, inspiring video

36cm2
11-Jul-2012, 20:35
Jim, this was fantastic. Wish i could see the show. Awesome.

Jim Fitzgerald
12-Jul-2012, 07:05
Thanks for the nice comments. I know that for me carbon transfer printing is it. I hope that the video peaks some curiosity and maybe helps some. Takes time to learn and get good at. I learn everyday and eventually I'll understand it all.

Pawlowski6132
12-Jul-2012, 20:35
Are you flippin kidding me? I've never seen a more complicated and time consuming process. I barely had the patience to watch the whole video of it.

But, my hats off to you Jim. Your work looks fantastic and I envy your dedication.

Jim Fitzgerald
12-Jul-2012, 22:08
Are you flippin kidding me? I've never seen a more complicated and time consuming process. I barely had the patience to watch the whole video of it.

But, my hats off to you Jim. Your work looks fantastic and I envy your dedication.

Love the comment! Yes it takes time! Patience is something I forgot to mention. Got to have that. That was the short version!!

Jay DeFehr
12-Jul-2012, 22:34
Are you flippin kidding me? I've never seen a more complicated and time consuming process. I barely had the patience to watch the whole video of it.

But, my hats off to you Jim. Your work looks fantastic and I envy your dedication.

You should see four color carbon printing- its a lot more than four times one color printing, and makes this process seem trivial.

Jim Fitzgerald
13-Jul-2012, 06:42
You should see four color carbon printing- its a lot more than four times one color printing, and makes this process seem trivial.Jay, I have seen four color carbon and own a color carbon print from Gordon Chapple. If Gordon were still alive who know I may have been doing color by now. Still to much to learn with monochrome. One day I'll spend some time with Charles Berger and then see where it all goes. For now this is it.

Jay DeFehr
13-Jul-2012, 07:09
Jim, single transfer, one color carbon printing is a handful, especially from in-camera, ULF negatives. No one can claim you lack ambition, or dedication.:D