Digital BW, The Print

Julian,

Get some good quality acrylic varnish from an art store designed for
varnishing paintings. I think Golden is the best but I don't know what you
will find available. Get a good varnish brush. Dilute the varnish at least
1:1 or 1:2 with water (preferably distilled) and paint it on the print.
Figure about 3 coats. The biggest problem will be brush strokes until you
perfect the application but you will get a good general feel for what a
coated print will look like right away and will be able to see if this is
something you want to pursue. Remember they dry down just like a wet print.

There is info in the Files section and in the archives. Using the "Morrison
Mix" sealer. clean materials, a good brush and practice seem to be the keys
to getting it on smooth.

Once the prints are under glass I doubt you could tell them from silver
except for the hue of the inks. As Robert posted earlier the Dmax increase
definitely puts the better papers into silver range. Museo took the coating
the best I found. The heavily textured papers get a bit strange. Things like
German Etching and Torchon are not for everyone. Didn't try Photo Rag but I
would expect it would do well.

Martin


----- Original Message -----
From: "Julian Thomas" <julianthomas@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 11:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Coating revisited


> I've got Pablo Kolodny from Argentina satying with me at themoment. He is
> one hell of a wet printer and he has brought some prints/negs for me to
try
> to match. It makes me realise how impossible it is for inkjet to match the
> glowing blacks of a semi or gloss wet print. maybe I should try the
coating
> approach, but seeing his stuff makes me want to hit the darkroom again.
> Problem is that I'm a much better dig printer than wet! Inkjet wins for me
> in the long, smooth midtones.
>
> Julian
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Morrison" <rmorrison@...>
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 9:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Coating revisited
>
>
> > On 4/3/02 10:20 PM, "Martin Wesley" <mwesley250@...> wrote:
> >
> > > Stephen,
> > >
> > > You can go back in the archives and find the results of Robert's fade
> tests.
> > > As I recall fading and warm shifting were reduced by all coatings.
There
> was
> > > a much greater difference between coated and uncoated than between the
> > > specific coatings. The fade and warming were reduced by 50% in
> comparison to
> > > the uncoated prints as best as I recall.
> >
> > That's accurate.  Ozone testing is in progress with Epson 10000 prints.
> >
> > > Coating the prints has a pronounce effect on their appearance. I have
> sent
> > > coated prints to several people and the general response was that they
> did
> > > not care for it. The increase in Dmax is very strong but the surface
is
> much
> > > like a varnished oil painting in quality.
> >
> > Dmax increases in the coatings that I have worked with range from 0.4 to
> 0.6
> > increase...essentially taking the prints from matte to gloss.  The
effect
> is
> > like a varnished oil painting.  Tones are more luminous.  I find that
the
> > photos appear deeper.  The velvety finish is certainly gone.  These look
> > like gloss prints...but on archival paper...preserving the texture of
the
> > paper.  Personally I love the look as do the people that I have shown
the
> > prints to including several paper manufacturers.  If you do not like the
> > look of gloss prints, however, you are unlikely to like the look of the
> > coated prints. In the end each person will have to decide for themselves
> > whether they like the look...and that will probably vary from image to
> image
> > and from paper to paper.
> >
> > > As a compromise I would suggest using one of the UV aerosol spray
> coatings.
> > > These do not change the appearance of the print if applied lightly but
> > > provide excellent mechanical protection and improve fade and warming
> > > resistance as well.
> >
> > I find the sprays useless...no improvement in appearance...minimal
> > protection from light (too thin a coating) and they frequently ruin the
> > surface of the print. I have heard through the grapevine that Cone has a
> > brush on coating that he uses to improve dmax, without changing the
> surface
> > of the print.  I don't know anything about this...other than he sells it
> for
> > $400/gallon.  Personally, I'm highly skeptical that anything can
> > dramatically increase dmax without adding gloss.
> > >
> > > Also check into the coating being offered by MIS that is designed to
be
> > > loaded into a printer. You run the print through to have a coating
> applied
> > > by inkjet. I have not seen the results of this process but it sounds
> > > interesting. One of the biggest problems in coating prints was in
> getting an
> > > even, streak and dust free application. An inkjet application might
> avoid
> > > all these issues and you could control how much was applied by
selecting
> > > something less than 100% "black" as the print color.
> >
> > It is unlikely that this would put down a thick enough coat.  Streak and
> > dust free application is not a problem with the right equipment.
> Honestly,
> > that's why I don't have a product out yet...it has taken nearly 9 months
> of
> > experimenting to get the equipment right and perfect the
formulation...but
> > it is possible...and turns out to be easy with the right gunk and
> equipment.
> >
> > Currently, I'm hoping to have a commercial product out by next
> > September...but no promises.  In the mean time I'm glad to take
questions.
> I
> > have coated prints going out into several print exchanges and both Crane
> > (Robert Rex) and Brightcube will be showing prints that I have beta
coated
> > on their papers in meetings around the country.  I believe that Robert
Rex
> > is also intending to use them for in store displays of Museo.  Coated
> > PiezoBW Museo prints will knock your socks off if you like glossy
> > prints...they are really fantastic.
> >
> > Robert
> >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Stephen Kundell, MD" <skundell@...>
> > > To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 8:53 PM
> > > Subject: [Digital BW] Coating revisited
> > >
> > >
> > >> It has been a while since the topic of coating has been addressed. I
> know
> > > Robert and others were actively experimenting in this regard.  Has
> anyone
> > > come up with a system that works with large images, and truly prevents
> UV
> > > and ozone degradation similar to the benefit of framed images. I hate
> that
> > > glass between me and the image!!!!
> > >> Thanks all
> > >> Stephen
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls
> and
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> > >
> > >
> > > Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls
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> >
> > ----------------------
> > Robert Morrison
> > rmorrison@...
> >
> > 310-397-2704
> >
> > 4131 Bledsoe Ave.
> > Los Angeles, CA 90066
> >
> >
> >
> > Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls and
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> >
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> >
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keep
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"flames."
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> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls and
other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
>
> Please follow these basic guidelines:
> - Include your full name with your message.
> - Include the address of your website, if you have one.
> - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to keep
them short.
> - As the topic of a thread changes remember to change the subject header.
> - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or "flames."
> - Complete your Yahoo profile.
> - Before posting a question, search the message archives and the various
resources on the homepage.
>
>
>
>
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>