Taking the "Solarplate" plunge

In searching for a process that will fulfill my need for messy, hands-on work in creating an image that is unique and painterly as well as photographic, I've begun to explore using photopolymer plates printed on an etching press. I posted one of these images and got some very supportive comments in return. I thought I might post a few bits about the process, the materials I've tried and maybe get a group of people who are doing this to chime in with suggestions, critiques, etc. Many others have written of this process and I don't expect that I will be able to add all that much to the fund of info available, but folks asked for details after I posted the first image and I wanted to respond.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) is one of my first, an image taken on regular film (APX100), enlarged and printed onto Ultrafine Ortho/Litho film in the darkroom. This transparent positive is pretty high-contrast. I then used a "Solarplate", available from various dealers on the web. Mine came from Dan Weldon, but they are also available Dead Link Removed

The other type of plate available at that site is the KM73 plate I have recently purchased and am now working on. The attached image below is from that brand of plate, purchased from Boxcar press. This was exposed through a copy machine transparency made from a print. The tonal range of the final print is not what I hoped, but I'm still working on the best way to get continuous tone. I think it has to do with the stochastic screen I use after I expose the original image. I think this scan proves I've got a lot to learn.

For a look at what I'm trying to do, check out this site by an artist named Susan Voss

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) is one of my first, an image taken on regular film (APX100), enlarged and printed onto Ultrafine Ortho/Litho film in the darkroom. This transparent positive is pretty high-contrast. I then used a "Solarplate", available from various dealers on the web. Mine came from Dan Weldon, but they are also available Dead Link Removed

The other type of plate available at that site is the KM73 plate I have recently purchased and am now working on. The attached image below is from that brand of plate, purchased from Boxcar press. This was exposed through a copy machine transparency made from a print. The tonal range of the final print is not what I hoped, but I'm still working on the best way to get continuous tone. I think it has to do with the stochastic screen I use after I expose the original image. I think this scan proves I've got a lot to learn.

For a look at what I'm trying to do, check out this site by an artist named Susan Voss[/QUOTE]

Hi,

You may find the KM73s more consistent than the Solarplates. I struggled with them 7 or 8 years ago and all of my problems disappeared when I changed to the KM73s. Solarplates are great if you work in a very loose way, but for a print with a full range of tones I'd stick with the KM73s. They also seem to be able to resolve and hold finer detail.
Where did you get the screen? Dan Weldon's aquatint screen works very well and I've stuck with his over the years. You may have to adjust your exposure ratios too. 50:50 isn't always the best combination, and in fact my screen exposures are currently much higher than my image exposure. A lot of variations!
Good luck.
Keith.

I had thought of producing my own aquatint (stochastic pattern) in the computer and finding someone local with an image setter to print it out for me. So far I've only experimented with one of Dan Weldon's screens, using a facial tanning lamp as the exposure unit and timing the screen exposure to about 1.5 times the image exposure. The lamp is what they use in a printmaking class I'm taking at a local museum so I bought one from that auction site - much cheaper than making my own. More experimentation needed but it can get expensive for a cheapskate like me.

I've read that you expose the aquatint sheet before you place the image on the plate, but in class we did it the other way around. Think there's any difference?

Have fun! I spent all of yesterday doing them myself - I tried a few a couple of years back from digital prints which due to the way inkjet printers print grayscale (less or more blobs of pure black) worked fine without an aquatint... Continuous tone on a real contact printed 8x10 positive I've learned requires an aquatint! Very disappointing results, so far - all a part of the learning process though

I'm off to the art shop which has started stocking photopolymer stuff recently ...

Whiteymorange said:

I had thought of producing my own aquatint (stochastic pattern) in the computer and finding someone local with an image setter to print it out for me. So far I've only experimented with one of Dan Weldon's screens, using a facial tanning lamp as the exposure unit and timing the screen exposure to about 1.5 times the image exposure. The lamp is what they use in a printmaking class I'm taking at a local museum so I bought one from that auction site - much cheaper than making my own. More experimentation needed but it can get expensive for a cheapskate like me.

I've read that you expose the aquatint sheet before you place the image on the plate, but in class we did it the other way around. Think there's any difference?

Click to expand...

There's absolutely no difference whether the screen's exposed first or last. As for the aquatint screen, I too have thought about making my own, but Dan's prices are fairly reasonable and the screens have been very consistent over the years I've been ordering them from him, so I really didn't pursue it.

Keith.

photopolymergravure is a highly addictive (danish invented) technique..

I totally love it. and have made a few ones over the years.

the one attached is special, as I deliberately left the stocastic screen on too short - to see what happened..

I know some people make their own screens, as in the old fashioned aquatinte way. that way it becomes really stocastic! not computergenerated.

the finnish photographers are - for some reason - masters in this.

look at this site:

http://www2.uiah.fi/~teofilus/gravyyri/page1.htm