Digital BW, The Print

Martin, thanks I'll try it. I've been looking at dig prints for so long,
seeing high quality wet prints blew me away. BTW I showed Pablo a large copy
of Mike's tramp printed full width on his 7000, 'hijo de puta' was the
response. I'm always a bit sheepish about showing that print of Mike's
because the scan/print blows my stuff out of the water. Drum scanned big
prints can't be beaten IMO.

Julian
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Wesley" <mwesley250@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Coating revisited


> 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
> > > > other resources as they are often being updated. The page is at:
> > > >>
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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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> > >
> > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
> > >
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> > >
> > >
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> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, Bookmarks, Polls and
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> >
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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:
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>