Digital BW, The Print

Has anyone had success with creating a "folded" accordian piece? If 
so, would you share your method and materials (paper, tools..)?

I am thinking of printing several individual B&W images alongside one 
another,in a long row, on a single sheet, and then scoring & folding 
the sheet between each image, into an accordian type of fold-out.

I hope I'm describing my intention adequately.

This kind of project is normally done at a printing facility (or even 
at a kinkos) with machines, but since I only want a very small 
number, I thought I might do it on an 1160 and have a "genuine carbon 
pigment" piece ;)

Frank, (is that the name?)

the most important step to folding is scoring. You will need a triangle and ruler 
to make sure the scoring is done at consistent right angles to the edge of the 
photo (which may not always print parallel to the edge of the paper). The best 
tool for scoring is a Burnishing Bone such as Item#2331 in the Light 
Impressions catalogue. Score from the side that will become the inside of the 
fold. 
To get the page distances even it may be helpful to print little score marks on 
a border that you may trim later (and get a chance to make everything nice 
and square in the process).
It's worth waisting a paper to find out how it works and looks when folded and 
to compensate for the extra length that the folds themselves may require 
depending on the thickness of the sheet.

If you can't find your favorite paper in 13" rolls, and don't want the hassle of 
buying large sheets, it's also possible to print on 13xwhatever sheets and 
tape them together. Linen tape (L.I. item#2352) and a good method for butting 
up the sheets should work very well. Tip: use a heavy ruler to hold down the 
edges to be taped. Needless to say taping is done on the back. You may have 
to play a bit with the tiny gap needed betwen sheets so they fold nicely after 
the tape is dry.

Hope this helps.

Antonis

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--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "frankascanb" <fh.gross@s...> wrote:
> Has anyone had success with creating a "folded" accordian piece? If

Hi Antonis,
I'm new to this 'hood and am still figuring out the protocol.
Thank you for responding.

> to make sure the scoring is done at consistent right angles to the 
edge of the photo (which may not always print parallel to the edge of 
the paper). >

Why would it not print parallel ?

I hope to print something about the size of a cd jewel case/cover 
when it's folded (approx 5 or 6inch). And when it's opened it'd have 
6 or so small images (approx 4x4 inches each) spread out (depends on 
how many I can fit) on the sheet's length). 

If I want a "cover/front page" image too, it'd have to be printed on 
the reverse side of the paper sheet in order to appear on the front 
when it's accordian folded.

I was hoping to output this to an 1160 from Photoshop using the MIS 
VM inks and the appropriate curves. I woder if this is possible or if 
it would have to be layed out & printed from a page layout program ? 
Which of  course would defeat the Quadtone workflow.
thanks 
Frank
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Antonis
> 
> <P.S. we try to encourage people to use their names on this list 
rather than 
> "handles" because it promotes a friendlier environment. You can 
either tweak 
> your Yahoo profile  or sign the message. It's just  to avoid 
unnecessary  
> anonymity in our communications.>
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "frankascanb" 
<fh.gross@s...> wrote:
> > Has anyone had success with creating a "folded" accordian piece? 
If

Frank,

I printed my Christmas cards on Photo Rag this year and it took me 
awhile to get a good fold my hane. What worked best was to place the 
two ends of the paper up against the a ridged straight edge (the edge 
on my Rotatrim paper cutter was great), double check the alignment 
and then created a soft crease starting at one end of the fold (not 
the middle) and sweeping smooth across.

I then used a finger nail to sharpen up the fold but Antonis's 
sugestion of a burnishing bone is a much better idea.

you can do everything from Photoshop. You just have to plot out the 
front and back of the sheet correctly.

Martin Wesley


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "frankgrossphotography" 
<frank@f...> wrote:
> Hi Antonis,
> I'm new to this 'hood and am still figuring out the protocol.
> Thank you for responding.
> 
> > to make sure the scoring is done at consistent right angles to 
the 
> edge of the photo (which may not always print parallel to the edge 
of 
> the paper). >
> 
> Why would it not print parallel ?
> 
> I hope to print something about the size of a cd jewel case/cover 
> when it's folded (approx 5 or 6inch). And when it's opened it'd 
have 
> 6 or so small images (approx 4x4 inches each) spread out (depends 
on 
> how many I can fit) on the sheet's length). 
> 
> If I want a "cover/front page" image too, it'd have to be printed 
on 
> the reverse side of the paper sheet in order to appear on the front 
> when it's accordian folded.
> 
> I was hoping to output this to an 1160 from Photoshop using the MIS 
> VM inks and the appropriate curves. I woder if this is possible or 
if 
> it would have to be layed out & printed from a page layout 
program ? 
> Which of  course would defeat the Quadtone workflow.
> thanks 
> Frank

(snip)

All you need is a a straight edge and a suitably dull tool for scoring the
paper (without cutting it). I use a carefully dulled 13" long lock knife
that a Puerto Rican fellow gave to me years ago. A dull table knife works
fine.  A bone folder, which can be purchased from any art supply outlet
that stocks basic bookbinding tools, can be used to flatten and smooth the
fold once made. The aim is to compress the paper in a narrow line, thus
weakening it slightly and guiding the fold where you want it.

When I do things like this, I often print fold lines on the piece which I
subsequently trim off.

If you want the best possible result you should also take care to fold the
paper with the grain. Simply this refers to the fact that machine made
paper generally folds more easily in one dimension than the other. You can
determine the grain by taking a sample piece of paper and comparing how it
folds in both directions. When just folded over, but not creased, a piece
of paper will lie lower and be less springy when folded with the grain.
Paper folded and creased with the grain will give a smoother fold than the
same paper folded against the grain. Paying attention to this detail will
result in a flatter piece that is less likely to warp.

>Has anyone had success with creating a "folded" accordian piece? If
>so, would you share your method and materials (paper, tools..)?
>
>I am thinking of printing several individual B&W images alongside one
>another,in a long row, on a single sheet, and then scoring & folding
>the sheet between each image, into an accordian type of fold-out.
>
>I hope I'm describing my intention adequately.
>
>This kind of project is normally done at a printing facility (or even
>at a kinkos) with machines, but since I only want a very small
>number, I thought I might do it on an 1160 and have a "genuine carbon
>pigment" piece ;)

Alan P. Hayes
Meaning and Form: Writing, Editing and Document Design
Pittsfield, Massachusetts

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "frankgrossphotography" 
<frank@f...> wrote:
 
> Why would it not print parallel ?

Frank,

because of possible slippage in the paper feed.  May not be a big deal for a 
single image but a series of folds at a slight angle to the image will multiply 
the problem. Something to watch out  for in any case.


>if 
> it would have to be layed out & printed from a page layout program ? 
> Which of  course would defeat the Quadtone workflow.


If you find it easier to set up a template in Quark with cut/fold marks etc and 
then place your images in Photoshop, you can do that too. Just export the 
Quark page as eps and place in Photoshop. Watch for the right resolution (no 
smaller than the images).


Antonis

A simple scoring trick that I learned in college is to lightly use the
back of an Exacto blade to create the score and then a burnishing tool
after it is folded. Remember to ust the Exacto blade lightly and do a
couple of practice folds first.

cort anderson
www.trwheels.com

Hi all, I'm new to this list, though I've been lurking and learning 
for several weeks now.  Thanks for all the great info.  

Regarding the issue of scoring for folds, as for fan-folds or cards, 
etc., here's what I've found.   I picked up a relatively inexpensive 
rotary cutter from Fiskars.  
http://office.fiskars.com/product.html?prod=9580-7797

It was around $25 (at Sams, though you can get them at most any office 
supply house).  

This unit isn't heavy-duty enough to take the place of a solid 
Rototrim unit, but not bad for small jobs and it's also light 
enough to be fairly portable.  The great thing is that this unit came 
with several other blades, including a perforating blade (think 
tear-off forms), and also with a "scoring blade" 
http://office.fiskars.com/product.html?prod=9355-8097 that does just 
exactly what you're asking, and does it rather well. 

I haven't used this unit much for actual cutting, preferring my 
Rototrim, but I've used the heck out of it for making tear-off forms 
and for scoring cards, etc.  

Hope that helps.  

John Shouse