Digital BW, The Print

----- Paul Roark wrote: -----
> My need for a neutral quad that did not warm-shift is what caused me to 
make
> the FS-N formula.  This was the first non-warming B&W inkset.

Having never seen the FS and FS-N inksets side-by-side, what I'm wondering 
is exactly how warm the FS inkset is -- both initially following printing, and 
then after fading/warming has taken place. Can anyone tell me? And how 
long does that warming process take, by the way?

I happen to like the warm look of a selenium-toned or platinum print, but I 
certainly wouldn't want to sell someone a print that was going to start fading 
like a comfortable pair of jeans within, say, 5 or 10 years (behind glass, away 
from direct sunlight). So because I like a warmer print, my only reasons for 
considering FS-N would be if it truly is a more stable inkset. Also, if regular FS 
appears more brownish than selenium tone, I might choose FS-N if it provides 
a more traditional-photograph-like appearance in comparison to FS.

Any thoughts/guidance on this? And does anybody in or near Seattle have 
prints from these 2 inksets that I might be able to take a look at?

> For some of us, the non-warming is important.  When in close proximity, the
> warming of prints is the most obvious defect that one sees in these
> products.  In my view it exaggerates the fading that will happen and reduces
> the perceived quality of our prints.
> 
> Warming is seen as deterioration, but there appears to be an irony in this.
> The warming is probably mostly the formation of a layer of broken colorant
> molecules on the surface of the pigment particle.  This layer appears to
> actually protect the pigment from further damage -- similar to the
> protection that a layer of oxidized aluminum or iron gives to the underlying
> metal.  In my tests the rate of fading decreases after the warming has taken
> place.

That's interesting, but I'd hate to have to try and explain that to someone if 
they'd actually paid me for a print and were wondering why it looked like was 
disappearing ... !

I suppose that means that FS-N is really my only option then? I'm not using 
the Piezography/R9 software, by the way. (At least not yet.)

Thanks,
Peter