How many people would be interested in a "Palladio" type paper?

[scootermm]

Today, the primary advantage of a manufactured paper would be the application of a digital negative that would match the curve of the paper. Pefect prints every time.

joe I find this an interesting statement. Makes perfect and obvious sense.
and let me also preface this with a non argumentative clause. because I mean this in the most respectful and inquisitive way. many because Id love your thoughts on it (and the thoughts of others)

I can see how that would be a wonderful use of the manufactured paper. The initial work to create a neg perfectly suited to the paper. what I wonder if for you personally, what are your thoughts on the idea of the uniqueness of each print. How the hand coating can play a part in creating an individual identity and character to each and every print? what are your thoughts on that? or is this not even a consideration (as it could completely be unimportant - and justly so)
I find it to be the one of the many things that draws me to the process (at present its van dyke printing for me, but in the future hopefully paladium, platinum, kallitype printing)
I find the individuality and one-off-ness to be an attractive characteristic. Almost like if I were to buy one or sell one that I have (or gave) a unique and individual piece of art. one with its own bits of character, perhaps flaws, perhaps wonderful perfections. etc.
Something that perhaps would never or could never be identical.

just curious what your thoughts or the thoughts of other are on this.

 

[Joe Lipka]

The goal of my hand coating is to produce a consistent product. (I guess that calling a hand coated piece of paper a “product” might offend some, but when I am producing a show of twenty or more prints of the same locale, my goal is produce a paper with a consistent set of tones.) This is necessary to me because I want all the prints look like they belong together. If you are even semi-skilled in hand coating and develop your own procedure, rhythm and coating techniques you will find that consistently hand coating a light sensitive solution on a piece of paper is fairly easy to learn. Each print is unique, but my goal is to make it very difficult to find out what is unique to each print.

I am not locked into the process and amount of work to produce a print. I can appreciate the craft, skill and effort to create, but in the end a photograph is judged on its own merits. Often, the person making the judgment does not know what effort went into the physical print. If they buy it, they like it for what it is, not what went into it.