Digital BW, The Print

This exercise might be of interest to those looking for the "best" sepia or
warm tones for re-production of old photos.

 

The bottom line for me is that "carbon on cotton" is still the best answer
for archiving old photos.

 

I've been experimenting with the above 2 inksets lately.  One limitation of
both is that they can't reach the sepia tones that the older UT2 or UT7, or
a full color inkset can reach.  On the other hand, what they can reach is
more archival, not having the yellow pigments in them.

 

I've posted scans of various prints and some comparison sepia prints from
what I think are highly regarded source books - a French government
sponsored History of Photography and a Smithsonian (U.S.) sponsored book on
the First Century of American Photographers.  The prints I made with the 2
inkset approaches are on Crane Silver Rag.

 

See http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/Sepia-warm.jpg

 

For my reproductions, I'll be using the pure carbon.  It is the most
lightfast and arguably the closest match to the high quality reproductions
of authentic old photos.  While I used the UT-3D inkset for the carbon here,
the UT-R2 warm would have the best image because it would be using all the
inks.  I'll also be setting up the C88 with EZ inks soon.  The EZ warm is
pure carbon and is the cheapest way to get to the carbon print.  The 2400
with a rip and MIS Lk and LLK can also print the pure carbon images like
that shown.

 

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  

 

 



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