Revitalised POSTCARD EXCHANGE Group

[kwmullet]

PM the address to me and I'll add him as well. Mine haven't gone out yet.

 

[Bruce Osgood]

I would like to do that too.

 

[Ole]

PM the address to me and I'll add him as well. Mine haven't gone out yet.

Same here.

 

[rbarker]

Card Exchange Tradition

I thought all you post-card proliferators might be interested in these "alternative process" postcards:

Dead Link Removed

While not photographic, these leather postcards dating from the 1905-1908 period were exchanged between my grandmother and her friends. The "image" sides are mostly hand-painted or inked scenes done by the exchange participants on the (apparently) commercially-available leather card stock.

 

[Dave Miller]

With Ilford discontinuing the postcard stock paper, I checked out a few things as replacements. They also sell 4x6 inch RC paper. This is just 1/4" larger on each side than the present postcards. I can check to see how much a stamp would be to stamp the backs ourselves to make them look like postcards.

As someone outside of this group, but one who will shortly ask to join in, I have been wondering about a replacement paper. I think the 4x6 paper you refer to may be too thin for the rigors of the postal system. I once saw advertised self-adhesive labels of that size which were printed with the postcard markings. They had the claimed additional advantage of stiffening the paper as well as accepting writing ink better than R/C paper does. Has anyone else come across these?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Those are beautiful, Ralph.

Dave--There was someone in the group (from California?) using those adhesive labels with FB paper, and they worked quite well. I think Lee may have also used them on one round.

I've already printed my current ones (haven't sent them yet) on the Ilford stock, and I've got one box of postcard stock left, but when I run out, I thought I might try some Azo prints printed 4 to a sheet, drymounted to 2-ply, and then cut in 4. To make it into a postcard, you just need to draw a black line on the back to separate the address/stamp area from the letter area.

 

[kwmullet]

I don't know about the requirements outside the US, but when I go on a road trip, I shoot Polaroid type 54 in the graflex, draw a line down the middle of the back, address, stamp and write a note on it and drop it in the next mailbox I encounter. They've always made it back to me, and make for a good trip log.

This, my first, round of postcards, I'll be printing on Ilford MG IV FB and dry-mounting them to Green Field Paper Co. Premium Hemp Paper (70lb/100GSM/Acid-Free). I anticipate the combination will be a bit more rigid than ordinary off the shelf postcards. (Green Field's site is at www.greenfieldpaper.com, but I don't see the paper I bought from Voertman's in Denton (N Tx US)).

We'll see. If you never hear from me again, it'll be because I broke some law sending hemp across the border.

Oh -- I did have an idea that I'd like to wax the postcards, but so far, I haven't found a local walk-up source for the wax (see another current thread).

-KwM-

 

[John McCallum]

....make it into a postcard, you just need to draw a black line on the back to separate the address/stamp area from the letter area.

That's all I did for this round David. I'm sure they look a little rough when reading the back, hopefully that won't detract from the photo.
Unfortunately, though I've spent quite some time looking, none of the retailers here appear to know about the postcard photo paper.

 

[Aggie]

David it was Scott/fingel that had the sticky backing postcard stuff. I have some too. We got it at B&H. just do a search on their website about postcards. Thing is they are expensive. For what they want, you can get some contact paper and adhere to the back, trim it and then write on it. A whole lot cheaper. BTW the satin?pearl coat on postcards holds up better than the glossy. Glossy looks much better, but scratches easily in transit.

 

[Nige]

I thought all you post-card proliferators might be interested in these "alternative process" postcards:

..image snipped..

While not photographic, these leather postcards dating from the 1905-1908 period were exchanged between my grandmother and her friends. The "image" sides are mostly hand-painted or inked scenes done by the exchange participants on the (apparently) commercially-available leather card stock.

Thanks for posting this, very interesting! My mother has a collection of postcards from a similar period but no leather ones. Some of hers are actually correspondence from family members at war (WW1). I've only had a quick browse but want to investigate more one day.

 

[fotobob]

Post Cards can be made with a rubber stamp and quick drying ink. Both can be purchased from Porters Camera Store in the U.S. They have a BUNCH of items that are unique. BTW they also carry the sticky back labels in case that it the way you would rather go. Their web address is:
www.porters.com
Nige, I hope that you received my card by now. I was amazed at the speed of delivery from "down Under" Three days! I hope that our postal system does as well.
Cards are arriving every day now. It is a great feeling to receive them from what could be a long relationship with folks that have the same interests

 

[Bob F.]

Of course, you could always print the postcard details on the back using an inkjet printer. I wonder which side of the postcard would fade away first....

BTW, I wonder if the people who have not received the number they were expecting have had them trousered by a postal worker along the way? Might be an idea to email or PM the intended recipients when you send them out?

Hope to join in the next round...

Cheers, Bob.

 

[kwmullet]

Thing brings to mind a barely on-topic thought.

For the reverse of the postcards, I'm actually thinking pencil would be the most archival means of writing. Ink tends to wick outward over time, and if it gets wet it runs. Inkjet would probably be like ink. Laserprinter toner would probably flake off.

What're y'all's thoughts on this?

I personally would like to shoot for my postcards showing up in an antique mall a hundred years from now.

-KwM-

 

[John McCallum]

Thing brings to mind a barely on-topic thought.

For the reverse of the postcards, I'm actually thinking pencil would be the most archival means of writing. Ink tends to wick outward over time, and if it gets wet it runs. Inkjet would probably be like ink. Laserprinter toner would probably flake off.

What're y'all's thoughts on this?

I personally would like to shoot for my postcards showing up in an antique mall a hundred years from now.

-KwM-

Good idea. Recently I bought a couple of Wolff's Carbon pencils from the local art shop. They're made with very dark graphite that won't rub off easily (even with an eraser). I think they'd work well for the postcards.

 

[c6h6o3]

The rest must be in the post or still in the developing tray I guess! I imagine some will arrive in January due to schedules and the overworked postal systems.

Mine are all in the mail. They're dry mounted onto Strathmore 140# Cold Press Watercolor postcard stock. I've had some trouble with the pictures coming unstuck, so if you get a postcard without an image, lemme know. I figured that no matter what we do the postcards take some effort, so I might as well make the best print I can, which means on Azo.

I must say that I was amazed at how good a print Aggie managed to extract from that godawful Ilford postcard stock. I've never gotten anything even approaching that kind of scale with it. Was it developed in Dektol?

 

[Aggie]

just good old dektol. Glad you liked it.

 

[veriwide]

from Say Ah to Think Snow

I could not wait until the next round to show ya'll this image so I have posted it in the Standard Gallery. It was taken a week later than my postcard, which I hope you all have it by now. It shows that mother nature can change things over time, like the leaves and rust on the post card, or almost instantly with the weather.

 

[kwmullet]

Good idea. Recently I bought a couple of Wolff's Carbon pencils from the local art shop. They're made with very dark graphite that won't rub off easily (even with an eraser). I think they'd work well for the postcards.

Just got back from Hobby Lobby, where I picked up a Wolff's Carbon Royal Sovereign 4B pencil. I'm finding it quite hard to sharpen, and when I do get a fine point on it, it doesn't last very long. I've never used a carbon pencil before, but it seems one step more cohesive than a charcoal pencil. A regular graphite #2 pencil produces a lighter line, but holds the point longer and I can write smaller without it looking smudged.

Did I get the wrong grade carbon pencil? I don't know what the difference is between a #2 and a #4B. The clerk in the art department of previous store I went to and couldn't find a carbon pencil tried to explain it to me but I just didn't grasp it.

I want something archival that holds a point, can write small without looking smudged, and draws a very dark/black line. Is another grade carbon pencil what I need? I like the color of the line, just don't like the "crumbliness" of it.
​

 

[John McCallum]

Did I get the wrong grade carbon pencil? I don't know what the difference is between a #2 and a #4B. The clerk in the art department of previous store I went to and couldn't find a carbon pencil tried to explain it to me but I just didn't grasp it.

I want something archival that holds a point, can write small without looking smudged, and draws a very dark/black line. Is another grade carbon pencil what I need? I like the color of the line, just don't like the "crumbliness" of it.




​

Artist pencil gradings go from 'hard' to 'soft'. Hard being lighter but harder wearing, and soft being darker and faster wearing.

#3 (H3) / #2 (H2) / H / HB / B / B2 / B3 / B4
<--- Harder&Lighter Softer&Darker ---->

I use a grade B for brief notes on the back of prints during printing and more particularly for signing matted prints. I find the harder grades (H, H2 , H3 etc) a bit too light and hard causing unwanted surface damage on the paper. Going darker and softer (B2, B3, B4 etc) I think gets too soft for practicle use for writing.
An HB or B seems to be a nice balance of dark vs harder wearing.

.... Hobby Lobby?

 

[BWGirl]

Hey!!! What's wrong with Hobby Lobby??? I love that place!!! You can buy all kinds of cool things there...except maybe photo chemicals and paper.

There's a real fine line you walk between too hard of a lead (which will crush the fibers of paper quickly, but hold a point forever) and too soft a lead (which will be very dark, but often smudge easily and never keep a point). There is an alternative solution...and that is to buy a mechanical pencil...a 7mm or 9mm (not a 5mm) and get either a special lead meant to write on "plastic" or an HB lead for paper. I guess my only concern here is that most graphite leads will smear. The plastic leads will not. You will have to maybe look in a store that carries drafting supplies or has a drafting section. Good luck!!!
I am so happy with all the very cool postcards I am getting! This is great fun!

 

[John McCallum]

Hey!!! What's wrong with Hobby Lobby

Oh absolutely nothing I'm sure. We don't have a Hobby Lobby .... cute name.

 

[Ole]

...a 7mm or 9mm (not a 5mm) ...

I am so happy with all the very cool postcards I am getting! This is great fun!

Pencil diameters tend to be well under 1mm, so that must be .7, .9 and .5mm as in "0.7mm".

Postcards are cool - and I'm running late. And I'm going to be even later since I didn't get any printing done today. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a week or two...

 

[Aggie]

Why not get an archival ink pen? Light impressions sells them, I know I picked a couple up from Wolf Camera.

Part of the charm of this exchange is the shape of the postcard when it arrives. It has taken on all the marks of actually being used for what it was intended.

 

[kwmullet]

Why not get an archival ink pen? Light impressions sells them, I know I picked a couple up from Wolf Camera.

Part of the charm of this exchange is the shape of the postcard when it arrives. It has taken on all the marks of actually being used for what it was intended.

well... maybe you can do a sanity check on my thinking here. My thoughts are that ANY kind of ink will gradually wick out into the paper over time, and anytime the postcard gets wet, pencil is probably going to survive the experience a lot better than ink. That belief is why my darkroom notes are all in pencil.

I did think of getting a tech pen or some kind of pen that used india ink, then waxing or varnishing the back of the postcard (under the category of *next time* since that'd run me too late for this round), but I want to preserve the feel and look of the nifty hemp paper to which I mounted my cards, so that idea didn't last very long.

Since I'm probably going to send out this batch tomorrow, and I don't like the carbon pencil I picked up, I'll probably just use a graphite pencil this time around.

-KwM-

 

[Ole]

Mine are all in the mail. They're dry mounted onto Strathmore 140# Cold Press Watercolor postcard stock. I've had some trouble with the pictures coming unstuck, so if you get a postcard without an image, lemme know. I figured that no matter what we do the postcards take some effort, so I might as well make the best print I can, which means on Azo.

It arrived here today, in excellent shape. Nothing unstuck, stuck on, or scratched at all!!