DIY Ilfochrome/Cibachrome

Hi

Is anybody doing DIY Ilfochrome/Cibachrome printing in Ireland?
I am interested in learning to do Ilfochrome printing but would like to see it done before trying it myself

Thanks
Darragh

Hi Darragh

Wondering if you ever received any PM's about this. I'm also interested in this, but interested in finding someone who does it regualrly as I may wish to have some of my own work printed this way.
So far I find it dificult to source locally anybody who is involved. I don't want to send my stuff overseas just yet.

If nothing found in next 6-12 months, my plan is to join a darkroom group in gallery of photography in Dublins temple bar, get back to B+W and work into ilfachrome thereafter. No timeline yet as to when that might happen, but if you know of anything else more positive - please pass it on.

J..

Hi James

I have talked to a few people in Dublin Camera Club and in Gunns. A few people used to do it but nobody does it any more in Ireland and nobody willing to show how to do it.
At the moment, I have all the equipment and will altering the bathroom so that it can function as a temporary darkroom.
I have found a supplier in the UK who is willing to ship the chemicals to Ireland and Gunns said they should be able to get in the Ilfochromes.
Hopefully after Christmas I should have a darkroom setup and will be able to print ilfochromes.
However, Ilfochromes are very fragile so I won't be able to mount them as they will require either cold-press lamination for prints that will travel alot or backing to very smooth surfaces like dibond or acrylic glass for archival preservation so they would have to be mounted by a specialist like Steve Crozier (www.360-dpi.com)

Darragh

It's years since I tried, but what can I say - go for it.
My own experience was a homemade darkroom in the attic - NO dust protection - Anyway dust aside, I was trying B+W reasonably OK considering, and then C41 printing. Mad challange, couldn't or didn't know how to get the colour balance exact. Needed a lot more experience than I could give/get at the time.

Didn't know Ilfachromes were 'so' fragile ? I must read up a little more so before taking that step so.
Anyway - it's a challange, not an obstacle........ isn't it ???

Keep us in the loop as to how you get on.

J..

This guy in the UK is still printing Cibachromes at the moment but needs more work to stay open. www.owenboyd.com
.

Hi, I don't live in Ireland but would like to recommend it anyway.

Done it a couple of times both in a Jobo drum and later in the CAP-40 processor that I posses.
The results are gorgeous. Some experience in colour printing is required in order not to waste to much (expensive) paper and chemicals that don't last very long. The prints are most fragile when wet. The emulsion then is very sensitive to damage.

You can see some prints on my site http://www.fusion.be/project/insects/
as well as in the animals section.

Good luck