A Stupid Question

So I've been reading a lot about alternative processes, but I can't seem to find an answer to the most basic of questions: Why is it necessary to contact print?

Additionally, I was wondering if any of the more chemically educated people here might be able to tell me if it's possible to do other coatings using metals that undergo redox reactions similar to more common alt-processes.

I can easily answer the first question; most alt processes depend on the high energy of UV light to induce the chemical reactions needed to make the print. Enlargers do not put out enough UV light -- both because of the low UV emission of the light source and because of the UV absorbtion qualities of glass (condensors and lens).

One can make enlarged negatives (photographically or digitally) to get around this when one wants larger prints than one's camera format.

The second question I leave to others since my answer would be dumber than any possible question could be! But the range of metals used in the various alt process is quite large.

Vaughn

The other thing about UV light, is that it is not visible to the human eye. Kind of makes it hard to focus...