Mistaken Assumptions about Digital Negatives

[Jim Michael]

We used aluminized mylar tape for masking negatives and transparencies. Is there a difference in transmission between UV and visible light that might lead to less exposure with UV? Seems counterintuitive with the higher energy though.

[angusparker]

the reference to drop size is old context for this/from : ""Paul Roark
www.PaulRoark.com


Photo quality, 100% carbon pigment (no color inks), neutral black and white digital printing has arrived with the tiny 1.5 picoliter dots of the R800 & R1800 printers -- if the right carbon pigments and workflow are used. http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/R1800.htm ""


jen:
the context of a discussion is only acquired through immersion not translation.

Thanks


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[calebarchie]

Don't know who this paul guy is, but its on the Epson spec page. pl = picoliter

A picoliter is a trillionth (one millionth of a millionth, or 10 to the -12th power) of a liter, which can be represented numerically as 0.000000000001/liter. The prefix pico denotes a trillionth part, just as the prefix nano denotes a billionth part.

https://www.epson.com.au/products/in...r800_Specs.asp
https://www.epson.com.au/products/in...1800_Specs.asp
https://www.epson.com.au/products/in...1430_Specs.asp

I've got all these and the larger 3.5pl head epsons and it certainly makes a difference.

MINIMUM DROPLET SIZE 1.5pl
RESOLUTION
5760 x 1440 Optimised dpi using Resolution
Performance Management (RPM) Technology

[Peter De Smidt]

Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wide-format Printer

1.5pl

[sanking]

Red Ruby of course would work as a way of cleaning borders, I am interested in how on a Epson Printer using Pictorico or Inkpress one can put enough black on the material to stop complete bleed through , pretty simple but obviously in my workflow not possible. I do not see how printing on a paper stock and then contacting through that paper stock will give me a high quality print on silver, what am I missing or reading wrong here, I do not doubt other peoples observations, Just I am comparing silver digital neg's and inkjet neg's off an Epson and in my space putting the two negs on the lightbox it is very apparent that I can see through the black (white border) on inkjet much more than the silver, Both negatives btw on matt paper and watercolour paper for palladium print identical... On Silver Multigrade Glossy both prints appear similar to my and other eyes, but there is definitely a greying of the border on the inkjet.

I find this hard to describe to those who are not doing both methods of neg making and therefore not able to see what I am seeing.

Bob,

I am not suggesting the use of paper negatives. All of the people I know who are making digital negatives for silver printing are using Picorico or Fixxon OHP.

When one creates perfectly linearized QTR profile for a specific process it should be possible to make a print in silver with a full range of tones from highest highlights to darkest shadows, if you have those tones in the image file. Of course, your exposure also must be spot on, if too long you will print through the shadow densities of the negative and get some bleeding into the highlights. Everyone has this issue in printing with perfectly calibrated negatives so yes, a border that like rubylith or red lithographers tape that add blocking density is necessary to keep clean borders. And sometimes with very long ES processes like albumen or salted paper, you may even have to use two layers of ruby light.

Now, if your process is low ES, say 1.0 -1.5, you could probably get by just by a white border on the positive image file, which will print black on the negative.I usually add that type of canvas, and then use a strip of lighographers tape.

Sandy

[bob carnie]

Bob,

I am not suggesting the use of paper negatives. All of the people I know who are making digital negatives for silver printing are using Picorico or Fixxon OHP.

When one creates perfectly linearized QTR profile for a specific process it should be possible to make a print in silver with a full range of tones from highest highlights to darkest shadows, if you have those tones in the image file. Of course, your exposure also must be spot on, if too long you will print through the shadow densities of the negative and get some bleeding into the highlights. Everyone has this issue in printing with perfectly calibrated negatives so yes, a border that like rubylith or red lithographers tape that add blocking density is necessary to keep clean borders. And sometimes with very long ES processes like albumen or salted paper, you may even have to use two layers of ruby light.

Now, if your process is low ES, say 1.0 -1.5, you could probably get by just by a white border on the positive image file, which will print black on the negative.I usually add that type of canvas, and then use a strip of lighographers tape.

Sandy

Thanks Sandy I will use the red ruby as suggested to mask the borders.

[dwross]

... Unfortunately, in order to make high quality digital negatives one has to have some mastery of the process. Both negative making skills and printing skills are required for optimum control of process. And there is no magical box that has a button one can push to transfer a complex skill set from one mind to the other. As you should know, to do good work with any hand made process you just have to saturate your mind with knowledge, and get your hands wet. And a master printer should not try to farm out the digital negative component to an assistant, because having a good negative to work with is at the core of fine print making. What was it Ansel Adams said about the negative and the print?

Sandy

Well worth repeating. (emphasis added to OP)