Carbon Printing Query

[DKirk]

Just in the midst of gathering supplies to coat and make some carbon prints (eventually).

Whilst up in the loft looking for a spare tap that wasn't used for a renovation, but now is getting used to replace a faulty one, I came across a bottle of ink for a Permajet CIS system for my Epson 2880 - the ink is the Matte black (only using the photo black for the digital prints).

Before I try it out - I was wondering if anyone could advise further - i.e it's been tried but it doesn't work satisfactorily (e.g stains or is insoluble), or perhaps it works but can give a neutral/warm/cooler tone.

[koraks]

As pigment in the glop you mean? I can't comment, but I'd be concerned with the surfactants and possible dyes (for neutral grey) that may be added and that could leave a stain on the final print. I'd rather stick to materials with only the desired pigment (s) and innocent stuff like gum Arabic. Read: watercolor paints, acrylic paints and India inks without additional dyes (I have used an India ink that turned out to have a purple dye added to it to make it look a bit like iron gall ink - it stained the print horribly!)

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Make your life easy and use some Dick Blick's Black Cat india ink. Order it online from Dick Blick. Carbon is hard enough to do. So eliminate the ink as a possible problem. Trust me on this one. Good luck

[koraks]

I'm with Jim; better start with a known-to-work pigment. It's not like carbon is an expensive process in terms of materials (in fact, it's hard to beat in terms of costs!), but the learning curve is...challenging. I would have saved myself a number of lessons-learned-the-hard-way if I had had access to and the willingness to use the materials and procedures that others have tested extensively.

[DKirk]

Thanks for the advice - I'll have a look to see if there are any UK retailers. Any other tips or practical points otherwise not covered in your youtube videos Jim?

[Andrew O'Neill]

I tried cheap, third party ink from my printers maintenance tank and it worked fine. It hated the colour, though. Start off with India inks (avoid those with shellack, I've heard). I have tried several brands (but not this dick blick stuff as it's not available up here), and never had a problem. India ink is cheap and goes into glop lickety-split. I also use lamp black water colour paint in a tube... a more expensive option, but reliable.

[koraks]

I think even more important than ink is to choose a final transfer material that is easy to work with. Fixed out photo paper is ideal and it prevents a whole slew of issues that aren't really worth it, and take it from someone who tends to transfer onto self-sized art papers. Photo paper is a much quicker and more reliable route that yields better results than you'll likely manage yourself.

[DKirk]

I think even more important than ink is to choose a final transfer material that is easy to work with. Fixed out photo paper is ideal and it prevents a whole slew of issues that aren't really worth it, and take it from someone who tends to transfer onto self-sized art papers. Photo paper is a much quicker and more reliable route that yields better results than you'll likely manage yourself.

Thanks don't have any fixed out photo paper but got a box of the ADOX unsensitized paper from fotoimpex a while ago.

[peter schrager]

I have 100 sheet boxes of the Baryta..paper if anyone here is interested. ..I'll sell at cost 80/box