Dye Transfer via inkjet

Basic workflow is using water soluble dyes inkjet printed onto waterproof transparency film (used in screen printing) and then transferring to mordant treated gelatin. You would use registration and 3 color separations like the traditional process. Anyone try this already? I don't know much about color printing so please poke holes in my idea if you do.

I've not tried it, but it might work. What I don't know is whether the dye/mordant system needs certain chemical compatibility and whether inkjet dyes would be suitable for such a system.

Moreover, I wonder why you'd bother with all this instead of just printing on the gelatin directly? I did some brief testing with that a few years ago and the results were quite promising provided the paper is nice and flat. https://tinker.koraks.nl/photography/easy-way-out-inkjet-on-diy-papers/

I'm thinking about using actual/historic dye transfer dyes in refillable cartridges. I don't think that there is any way that inkjet on the surface is going to look the same as dye drawn into gelatin where it mixes with other colors. It's not a halftone effect.

If you inkjet print the original, then that's already halftone. To get rid of the dots, you could allow them to bleed during transfer - buf if you're going to do that, why not use a medium that allows for more bleed in the first place? And then we're back at my idea of printing directly onto gelatin-sized paper, which is more straightforward.

avandesande said:

Basic workflow is using water soluble dyes inkjet printed onto waterproof transparency film (used in screen printing) and then transferring to mordant treated gelatin. You would use registration and 3 color separations like the traditional process. Anyone try this already? I don't know much about color printing so please poke holes in my idea if you do.

Click to expand...

Gotta fade test the dyes. Pigment inkjet are outstanding for fade resistance. Inkjet dyes are terrible. At least the ones I tested a few years ago. I have not kept up with it, so you check it out.




Canon PIXMA MG 2522 Dye Inkjet 6 Months Sun Test.

Photo was cut into 2 pieces. One part was put in the sun for 6 months, the other piece was put in dark storage.

Selection from Dye Stability Testing of Color Imaging Media II by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.

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