Digital BW, The Print

Howdy

I am wanting to start spraying my prints for durability and improving archival stability.  I gather Premier Lacquer is the recommended product for paper and that the Eco version is best for canvas.  I print on paper.

So my question relates to what others are doing that are using the lacquer product.  How toxic is it?  I assume it is flammable...and I do not have a dedicated spray booth.  Should this only be used in a spray booth...or is danger of the canned product minimal?  The only place I have that I could possibly use is my garage...but I certainly do not want to burn down my house if the stuff is really flammable.  I would rule out spraying outdoors due to the presumably dirty dusty air outdoors.  I am not going to be doing large quantities...maybe 20 prints at a time.

I would also like user input as to results.  Premier told me on the phone that this would slightly improve dmax.  Is this the case??? or an exaggeration???

Other than the nuisance factor of applications, do any of you perceive downsides to using the Print Shield spray?

Thank

Phil

"KentB" <philip@...> wrote:
>
> I am wanting to start spraying my prints for durability and improving archival stability.  I gather Premier Lacquer is the recommended product for paper and that the Eco version is best for canvas.  I print on paper.


I use Lascaux Fixativ.  It lowers the dmax less with matte papers and, unlike Print Shield, does not affect the appearance of the surface of glossy products.  I've been using the non-UV version of the product.  The amount of UV absorbed by the thin, solvent based sprays appears to be marginal.  Spray an OBA paper and compare it to an un-sprayed one under a black light.  There is little difference.


> 
> So my question relates to what others are doing that are using the lacquer product.  How toxic is it?


I wear goggles and have a respirator if the amount I'm going to spray is more than I can hold my breath for.


>  I assume it is flammable...and I do not have a dedicated spray booth.  Should this only be used in a spray booth...or is danger of the canned product minimal?  The only place I have that I could possibly use is my garage...but I certainly do not want to burn down my house if the stuff is really flammable.  I would rule out spraying outdoors due to the presumably dirty dusty air outdoors.  I am not going to be doing large quantities...maybe 20 prints at a time.


I use an opened garage.


 
> I would also like user input as to results.  Premier told me on the phone that this would slightly improve dmax.  Is this the case??? or an exaggeration???


Sprays usually increase the dmax of glossy papers and decrease the dmax of matte papers.


 
> Other than the nuisance factor of applications, do any of you perceive downsides to using the Print Shield spray?


I have been unable to get a good surface on high gloss papers.  I'm experimenting with it and Lascaux now.  So far the results are as before -- Lascaux soaks in and leaves the surface looking as it did before spraying.  Print Shield stays on the surface and affects the look.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Paul, interesting you should mention the effect of Print Shield on dmax. I was just about to start a thread expressing a little disappointment with my dmax lately, and then I saw your post.

I'm using your original setup, R1800/3MK on PremierArt Fine Art Smooth paper. But like I say, my dmax seemed a little weak lately. I do notice the lighting has quite an effect. The blacks seem blacker under artificial, incandescent light. If they are facing a north window, the dmax seems weaker.

Anyway, back to your comments... I made another print of an image I'd made earlier, and did not spray it this time. I put it side by side with one where I used Print Shield, and yes, there is a difference. Very slight though. I'm probably not as discerning as your practiced eye, I think I need to look at my prints more closely. The print without the Print Shield is not so much a stronger dmax but it's a cooler black... the one with the spray has a slightly warmer black. Maybe the cooler black seems blacker.

I'm going to leave them both in the living room for a while, side by side, and see what I can see.

The Lascaux costs about twice as much as the Print Shield, I looked it up. But I'll have to try a can.

(by the way, personal note: I had some cataracts removed lately and it made quite a difference in viewing my prints... they are much cooler now!)

Paul

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul" <roark.paul@...> wrote:

>
> "KentB" <philip@> wrote:
> >
> > I am wanting to start spraying my prints for durability and improving archival stability.  I gather Premier Lacquer is the recommended product for paper and that the Eco version is best for canvas.  I print on paper.
> 
> 
> I use Lascaux Fixativ.  It lowers the dmax less with matte papers and, unlike Print Shield, does not affect the appearance of the surface of glossy products.  I've been using the non-UV version of the product.  The amount of UV absorbed by the thin, solvent based sprays appears to be marginal.  Spray an OBA paper and compare it to an un-sprayed one under a black light.  There is little difference.
> 
> 
> > 
> > So my question relates to what others are doing that are using the lacquer product.  How toxic is it?
> 
> 
> I wear goggles and have a respirator if the amount I'm going to spray is more than I can hold my breath for.
> 
> 
> >  I assume it is flammable...and I do not have a dedicated spray booth.  Should this only be used in a spray booth...or is danger of the canned product minimal?  The only place I have that I could possibly use is my garage...but I certainly do not want to burn down my house if the stuff is really flammable.  I would rule out spraying outdoors due to the presumably dirty dusty air outdoors.  I am not going to be doing large quantities...maybe 20 prints at a time.
> 
> 
> I use an opened garage.
> 
> 
>  
> > I would also like user input as to results.  Premier told me on the phone that this would slightly improve dmax.  Is this the case??? or an exaggeration???
> 
> 
> Sprays usually increase the dmax of glossy papers and decrease the dmax of matte papers.
> 
> 
>  
> > Other than the nuisance factor of applications, do any of you perceive downsides to using the Print Shield spray?
> 
> 
> I have been unable to get a good surface on high gloss papers.  I'm experimenting with it and Lascaux now.  So far the results are as before -- Lascaux soaks in and leaves the surface looking as it did before spraying.  Print Shield stays on the surface and affects the look.  
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>

"Paul" <paulmwhiting@...> wrote:
>
>... 
> I'm using ... R1800/3MK on PremierArt Fine Art Smooth paper.
>... my dmax seemed a little weak lately.

That paper plus a Premier Art spray would not have the best dmax.  Have you measured it?

> I do notice the lighting has quite an effect. The blacks seem blacker under artificial, incandescent light. If they are facing a north window, the dmax seems weaker.


Lighting makes a huge difference in whether the blacks look black.  That is a big reason I went to glossy papers for my gallery brochures.  Indoors the matte brochures looked fine, but outside in the sun the blacks looks gray.  The glossy brochures hold up much better outside.

I have a bright LED as well as compact fluorescent lights in my office to examine metamerism in prints and test strips.  What I've noticed in addition to how weak some blacks look is how much the brighter LED shows the digital artifacts.  It's a bit depressing, but forcing me to take my quality standards up a bit.


 
> Anyway, back to your comments... I made another print of an image I'd made earlier, and did not spray it this time. I put it side by side with one where I used Print Shield, and yes, there is a difference. Very slight though. 

>... The print without the Print Shield is not so much a stronger dmax but it's a cooler black... the one with the spray has a slightly warmer black. Maybe the cooler black seems blacker.


I think most of the UV sprays has a slight yellow cast.  And, yes, a cool black will look blacker in warm indoor light.  But the sprayed one also is probably also not as black in an absolute sense.


> The Lascaux costs about twice as much as the Print Shield, ...

The standard Lascaux Fixativ (they omit the last "e") has been on "sale" for $19.99 at the large sellers.

I might add that that pastel painters also rate Lascaux at the top of the heap due to its minimal affect on their colors.  They still claim it affects the colors a bit.  


 
> (by the way, personal note: I had some cataracts removed lately and it made quite a difference in viewing my prints... they are much cooler now!)

That's a great response to a complaint that carbon is too warm.  I'll keep that in mind.


As expected, your fade test sample at 
http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com/  is doing very well at 90 Mlux-hrs.
An average delta-e of 0.2 is hard to beat.  With the Eboni carbon we're at the point where I worry more about the paper than the carbon image stability.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

I'd be interested to know what spraying techniques are used with this material, e.g., one coating but with multiple mist passes, one heavier coat & pass, multiple coats, etc. Thanks!


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul" <roark.paul@...> wrote:
>
> "Paul" <paulmwhiting@> wrote:
> >
> >... 
> > I'm using ... R1800/3MK on PremierArt Fine Art Smooth paper.
> >... my dmax seemed a little weak lately.
> 
> That paper plus a Premier Art spray would not have the best dmax.  Have you measured it?

No, I have no way of measuring dmax... my evaluation is two prints side-by-side propped up on a piece of furniture in the living room... very low tech!
  
> > (by the way, personal note: I had some cataracts removed lately and it made quite a difference in viewing my prints... they are much cooler now!)
> 
> That's a great response to a complaint that carbon is too warm.  I'll keep that in mind.

Several weeks passed between my first cataract removal and the second. I would close one eye, then the other, and the difference was incredible. Not only blacks and whites but all the colors were much more vivid. A highly recommended procedure for all old photographers!

> As expected, your fade test sample at 
> http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com/  is doing very well at 90 Mlux-hrs.
> An average delta-e of 0.2 is hard to beat.  With the Eboni carbon we're at the point where I worry more about the paper than the carbon image stability.

I asked Mark what happens when my test reaches 100, and said he's going to continue testing. Well, it's my sample but your procedure! I'm glad that Mark referenced you in his notes on my test... did you notice that? 

Oh, and on another issue I've raised here... the National Register guidelines. An architect I work with got an e-mail from them saying they now prefer color submissions - go figure!

Paul

I just follow what it says on the can (the Print Shield, not the Lascaux). It says to spray once, wait a few minutes, then once at 90 degrees to that. Each time you do several passes, working your way across the print.

It does say you may want to repeat this procedure but I've never done that.

HTH,

Paul

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Michael-K <michael3442@...> wrote:

>
> I'd be interested to know what spraying techniques are used with this material, e.g., one coating but with multiple mist passes, one heavier coat & pass, multiple coats, etc. Thanks!
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>