Cost-effective (pan?) large sheet film for tricolor separations from slides?

[ProfessorC1983]

I've finally developed my first batch of E6 slides and want to explore making color separation negatives to use with a tricolor gum or carbon process. I'm a bit at a loss as to selecting a negative film to use, especially as I'd like to eventually make prints in the 11x14 range and really don't want to break the bank here as I'm sure it will involve a lot of tweaking and experimentation.

I know there are budget-friendly ortho and technical/duplication films (Ortho Litho, etc) but these wouldn't work for the red channel (right?). Whereas LF pan films like Delta 100 or FP4+ are quite dear. Would it be worth trying to only use a pan film for the red and an ortho for the B/G, or is that a fool's errand and I should content myself with much smaller prints for now until I've perfected the process? Any options I'm missing? TIA.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

should content myself with much smaller prints for now until I've perfected the process?

I think you may have answered your own question.

The cheapest practice for large prints may be to make enlarged separations with an ink-jet printer on transparency film. Pictorico transparency film is available in sizes to 17x22" and in rolls to 42". Pictorico is the only film I have found that is any good for this purpose. Again, you may want to start small as the film is rather pricey.