Pt/pd Printing - Making a test strip

[Alan9940]

I had this problem with my vacuum frame, so I cut sensitized paper into strips and spaced them far-enough apart in the frame to eliminate shadow bleed from the card.

Wow, I really like this idea! I don't think it would have ever occurred to me...thanks Colin.

[Alan9940]

@jim10219 - thank you for the detailed response. Out of curiosity and your issues with ink colors that are most efficient at blocking UV light, have you ever looked at:

https://www.precisiondigitalnegatives.com/

Mark's process of testing to generate a digital negative is quite involved, but once you've locked it down the family of general curves and the option to build hybrid curves is quite extraordinary and powerful. Maybe you don't need all this, but thought I'd point it out for interests sake.

[jim10219]

@jim10219 - thank you for the detailed response. Out of curiosity and your issues with ink colors that are most efficient at blocking UV light, have you ever looked at:

https://www.precisiondigitalnegatives.com/

Mark's process of testing to generate a digital negative is quite involved, but once you've locked it down the family of general curves and the option to build hybrid curves is quite extraordinary and powerful. Maybe you don't need all this, but thought I'd point it out for interests sake.

That's interesting. Thanks for the link! I can't seem to find much info on what exactly it is and how it varies from what I'm currently doing, but it does seem to have some big names associated with it. I might just stick with what I've been using for now, as that is kind of pricey. But I'll keep that idea on the back burner in case things change.

[Alan9940]

@jim10219 - what I've always found fascinating about Mark's process is that it allows me to tailor my digital negative to a specific printing process; in my case, pt/pd. It's quite a bit of work and it takes some futzing around to understand the software (Mark is quite accessible and helpful here), but once you've dialed it in it will never change unless you change inkset. I'll admit...it's kind of weird seeing green or orange negatives, but they print beautifully! A very useful additional benefit is that I can build what Mark calls a hybrid curve. For example, I can apply a less steep curve in the upper region of the paper curve to maintain delicate high values while, at the same time, apply a steeper curve to the shadow end of the paper curve to maintain contrast in shadows. Some time ago, I built a template in PS that allows me to apply a series of individual curves to large thumbnail sized duplicates of my image and print several versions all on one single sheet. This enables me to see the effect of each basic curve which allows me to zero in on a very good starting point quickly. Anyway, not trying to "sell ya" rather as you said "food for thought."

[Jim Andrada]

Mark Nelson runs a great workshop on this. I took it last year, and aside from coming down with Pneumonia and barely remembering half of what he said, it was outstanding.

[Alan9940]

Mark Nelson runs a great workshop on this. I took it last year, and aside from coming down with Pneumonia and barely remembering half of what he said, it was outstanding.

Yes he does! I attended his workshop years ago with Mark & Dick Artenz in Flagstaff. Great fun! Highly recommended!!

[Jim Andrada]

Dick told me he's no longer doing the workshops - too bad.

[Cor]

I print pure Pt too infrequently too work systematically..I coat a small strip (2.5*10 cm) and expose using previous "experience", process and dry, and go from there to a full print..

good luck,

Cor

[Vaughn]

Cor -- actually, I cannot remember when I last made a test strip for Pt/pd (or carbon). I just make a full size print (up to 8x10), and make any corrections on the next print. (using in-camera negatives)

[Colin Graham]

Well no, it's not something that you 'd want to do for every print, it's more useful for finding the minimum exposure time for maximum black when starting a new process or calibrating a process for digital negatives. That's what I took from the OP anyway.

I'd like to make a test strip to determine a Standard Printing Time [snip]