Digital Paper-Negatives

Curt · May 14, 2011

I did a quick search and nothing exact. Has anyone thought, tried or is making 'Waxed Digital Paper Negatives'?

Curt

pschwart · May 14, 2011

Forget "digital." A search for "waxed paper negatives" will turn up a lot of info; this is a variation of one of the oldest photographic processes (calotypes).

Curt · May 14, 2011

A paper negative is made on a printer, it's waxed, it's contact printed onto photographic paper. I'm well versed in original historical waxed negatives.

pschwart · May 14, 2011

For those interested in the topic: check out the World Journal of Post-Factory Photography, Issue #4. It has a long article titled "Paper Negatives, History and Revival" which includes info on digital paper negatives, waxing, and oiling.

Curt said:
A paper negative is made on a printer, it's waxed, it's contact printed onto photographic paper. I'm well versed in original historical waxed negatives.

keithwms · May 14, 2011

Sure Curt, I've made successful digital paper negs; I never bother to wax or whatever, I just printed onto the skankiest glossiest paper I could find and then used that to expose some ortho film, and then used that to contact print photopaper. I've also just printed the neg directly onto photopaper and then exposed it and then cleared the ink. Both work. It's just a challenge to get the curves right.

donbga · May 14, 2011

Curt said:
A paper negative is made on a printer, it's waxed, it's contact printed onto photographic paper. I'm well versed in original historical waxed negatives.

Curt,

How are you printing or how do you wish to print the paper negs?

If you are using a UV based process then you will need to wax the paper negs to reduce the UV opacity. Digital negatives printed on glossy RC inkjet paper will have a UV log density in excess of 4.0 (virtually opaque to UV processes).

If you are printing silver gelatin then the digital paper negs can work very nicely. The Costco Kirkland brand is very cost effective, 150 sheets of 8.5x11 for about $20, larger sheets are available online at Costco.com. The paper also works very nicely for inkjet prints with a custom ICC profile.

Don

PVia · May 14, 2011

Peter Liepke P H O T O G R A P H S

Peter uses waxed paper negs almost exclusively for pt/pd and gum prints and had an article in View Camera a few years ago. I use Peter's method as well with very good results.

Several of my prints were done with them...check the individual notes:

Gum prints - a set on Flickr

Digital Paper-Negatives

Curt

pschwart

Curt

pschwart

keithwms

donbga

PVia

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