Digital BW, The Print

Grant,

>... I am about halfway through getting an MA
> in photography and
> the only person in the program still using a darkroom.

A sign of the times, I guess.  Too bad.

> ...
> My current concern /observation, having bought a few samples of
> prints using Piezo and MIS inks, has to do with the surface fragility
> of the prints. Very
> little handling, touching of the surface for example, damages the
> surface of these prints. If
> touched, there is a patina, a shiney mottled surface that results, as
> if the ink has a soft surface that becomes flattened...

True.  I think abrasion is one of the major issues facing pigments.  They
sit on top of the paper and are easily knocked off.

There may be a relationship between dmax and sensitivity to this.  I wonder
if the highest dmax papers like PhotoRag have the pigments more on top of
the paper than those papers with more apparent abrasion resistance like
Epson UltraSmooth/PremierArt Hot Press, which have a lower dmax, perhaps due
to the pigs being more down into the surface.

At any rate, there are differences between papers.

Like with pastels, a fixative helps.  All have some impact on the image, but
the one I use for matte paper is Lascaux Fixativ.  It lowers the dmax the
least.  I think the safest matte paper combination I use is UltraSmooth
(Premier Art Hot Press) with a light spray of Lascaux.

I like the "gloss" papers in part because of this problem.  With Epson
Premium Semimatte, as with others, a spray with PremierArt Print Shield not
only protects the print but also increases the dmax and eliminates the
digital artifacts.  (I use 4 coats applied quickly in a single session, with
a hair drier between coats.)

I think the answer is to encapsulate the pigments so that they are
protected.

> 
>  Silver prints .. can be handled quite a bit without damage. 

The silver is embedded in the emulsion -- it is encapsulated.

But, with the silver print the gelatin is relatively porous.  Hardening
helps, but I still don't think you'd want to clean the surface with a damp
rag.  With the Print Shield coating, a Premium Semimatte print can be
cleaned with a damp paper towel.  It is tough enough that I am starting to
display them without glass. 

In time, I think we'll see better coatings that will protect the pigments
better not only from physical damage but also from UV and, ultimately,
oxygen.  

With a coating that is applied after the printing, much tougher, less porous
surfaces are possible that if that surface has to be penetrated by
processing chemicals or dyes, as with the swellable surfaces the dye inkjet
papers are starting to use.  So, while it takes an extra step, for the best
final results, that may be what it takes.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com