Visual aid for print spotting?

Dali · Dec 12, 2015

Hi there,

Simple questions: when spotting prints, do you use some magnifiers or loupes to help you and what magnification do you use?

Thanks for your contribution!

RobC · Dec 12, 2015

you don't really need one but if your eyesight is not so good then....

https://www.craftlamps.co.uk/products/magnifying-lamps

Gerald C Koch · Dec 12, 2015

A jeweler's loop works well and there are models that clip onto eyeglasses and flip out of the way when not being used.

Mick Fagan · Dec 12, 2015

For spotting I have always found a slight magnification certainly helps in very light areas and very dark areas, enabling one to very carefully place the tip of the spotting brush exactly where you need to place it.

Using just plain eyesight is reasonably good, but even if you have really good eyesight, with or without spectacles, a magnifier certainly helps you nail that placement of the spotting brush.

I have found that a magnification of between 4x to about 6x magnification works well for me. Mostly I use a garage sale bought hand magnifier which I think is around 4x magnification.

Essentially, you just need to be able to use the magnifying glass enough distance away from the paper to allow side light to still fall onto the print. If you need to hold the glass closer you probably need to get another strength magnifier that allows you to hold it slightly further away.

I just checked with my current magnifying glass and the glass is about 120mm away from the paper when I have it in focus. This gives me easy access to the paper, yet allows me to precisely place the brush.

Something like this is similar to what I have: https://www.craftlamps.co.uk/product/handheld-magnifier

I use Winsor and Newton brushes. My standard brush is a Series 7, 000 brush. For really fine work I use a Series 29, 00000 Spotting Sable brush. Yes, that is five zeroes.

To use the 00000 brush successfully I really believe you need magnification to see exactly where you are placing the super fine brush tip.

Spotting is easy, doing it well is a little difficult, but easily doable once you get used to the technique of spotting. Spotting can be done so well that it is invisible, it is not hard to get to that standard.

Mick.

gone · Dec 13, 2015

Everyone has a different system. This is one of the things that definitely improve w/ practice, so it pays to do some spotting on throw away prints before working on the keepers each time you sit down to do this. Just to get into the flow. I usually spot using no magnification at all, since there's been times when what looks like a perfectly spotted area when using magnification will look imperfect when viewed w/o magnification. I'm not sure why it works that way, but it does w/ my eyes anyway.

Doremus Scudder · Dec 13, 2015

I like magnification when spotting prints, and lots of it.

I evaluate prints with a pair of strong reading glasses, say +3 diopter or so. When I find a spot to spot, I sometimes just spot away with just the magnifying glasses on, but for tricky and tiny spots, I use an 8x loupe with the skirt removed. I takes a bit of practice positioning the tip of the brush this way, since you loose binocular vision, but once that hurdle is cleared, you can really be accurate. It usually takes less spotting that it looks like at high magnification, so I stipple a bit and then evaluate again (with the reading glasses).

If a print looks flawless up close with +3 reading glasses, it will look even better at normal viewing distances and with the naked eye.

Best,

Doremus

David Brown · Dec 13, 2015

I use one of these simply because I have one:

http://www.doneganoptical.com/products/optivisor

jeffreyg · Dec 13, 2015

I use a magnifier purchased in most hobby shops that has a flip down of higher power magnification. If they are still around called Optivisor. Also work out the tone on a piece of processed paper of the same brand before applying to the finished print. It's best to be too "light" and build up rather than miss on the "dark" side.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

Nathan King · Dec 14, 2015

Dali said:
Hi there,

Simple questions: when spotting prints, do you use some magnifiers or loupes to help you and what magnification do you use?

Thanks for your contribution!

From my experience if the spot looks good under magnification it will look too dark with the naked eye.

cliveh · Dec 14, 2015

It is many years since I last spotted a print, but I find a drapers glass to be very handy.

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

I just joined Apug today and I have been a professional traditional retoucher for over 23 years. I am seeking input from members on what they would find invaluable in a retouching and spotting course. My name is Katherine J Gillis and I would appreciate your input.

Roger Thoms · Feb 13, 2016

I use an Optivisor. Work great and you're viewing in stereo so you have depth perception.

Roger

Roger Thoms · Feb 13, 2016

David Brown said:
I use one of these simply because I have one:

http://www.doneganoptical.com/products/optivisor

Yeah, that what I have, works great. Just remember that the stronger the magnification the closer you will be viewing the work. The lens are interchangeable so you could have several. I chose a #5 which works well for spotting.

Roger

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

Roger Thoms said:
Yeah, that what I have, works great. Just remember that the stronger the magnification the closer you will be viewing the work. The lens are interchangeable so you could have several. I chose a #5 which works well for spotting.

Roger

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

I also use a Optivisor, especially when etching. I use reading glasses for everything else.

MattKing · Feb 13, 2016

Katherine J Gillis said:
I just joined Apug today and I have been a professional traditional retoucher for over 23 years. I am seeking input from members on what they would find invaluable in a retouching and spotting course. My name is Katherine J Gillis and I would appreciate your input.

Welcome to APUG Katherine.

I'd suggest that you start your own thread on this subject, with its own title. I'm sure it would be welcome, especially if you plan to later become an advertiser, to promote the course.

Possibly in the "Presentation and Marketing" sub-forum.

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

Dali said:
Hi there,

Simple questions: when spotting prints, do you use some magnifiers or loupes to help you and what magnification do you use?

Thanks for your contribution!

MattKing said:
Welcome to APUG Katherine.

I'd suggest that you start your own thread on this subject, with its own title. I'm sure it would be welcome, especially if you plan to later become an advertiser, to promote the course.

Possibly in the "Presentation and Marketing" sub-forum.

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

Thank you!

Molli · Feb 13, 2016

Katherine J Gillis said:
Thank you!

Welcome Katherine. I've been coming across your name for years with regard to retouching, most recently in Looking Glass Magazine's November 2015 issue. It's wonderful to have an expert in the field here.

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

Thank you! I am looking forward to meeting new people and sharing information.

Bill Burk · Feb 13, 2016

Hi Katherine J Gillis! Welcome to APUG.

Where to start?

How do you know exactly how many drops of the different colors of Spotone it will take to match your prints? I keep thinking I am close and then when I look at the prints in the sun I can see the spots are more blue than the print. It's "fine" but I sure would like to get closer to a perfect match.

Is it better to work with a 20/0 brush and dried spots of Spotone? I dapple a palette with different concentrations in each bowl so it looks kind of like the surface of a golf ball with lots of small dots of dried dye. Then with slightly dampened 20/0 brush, I touch a spot of dye and then the print. I get about 2-3 spots on the print just right then have to go back.

Or is it better to have a larger brush like 000 and work wet? Is a fine sable brush necessary or can any student-grade brush do the trick?

How about negatives? I always thought it would be great to have some kind of syringe needle to pinpoint a tiny dot of opaque over a pinhole on a negative. But haven't yet been able to reliably spot pinholes. What's the secret?

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

Bill Burk said:
Hi Katherine J Gillis! Welcome to APUG.

Where to start?

How do you know exactly how many drops of the different colors of Spotone it will take to match your prints? I keep thinking I am close and then when I look at the prints in the sun I can see the spots are more blue than the print. It's "fine" but I sure would like to get closer to a perfect match.

Is it better to work with a 20/0 brush and dried spots of Spotone? I dapple a palette with different concentrations in each bowl so it looks kind of like the surface of a golf ball with lots of small dots of dried dye. Then with slightly dampened 20/0 brush, I touch a spot of dye and then the print. I get about 2-3 spots on the print just right then have to go back.

Or is it better to have a larger brush like 000 and work wet? Is a fine sable brush necessary or can any student-grade brush do the trick?

How about negatives? I always thought it would be great to have some kind of syringe needle to pinpoint a tiny dot of opaque over a pinhole on a negative. But haven't yet been able to reliably spot pinholes. What's the secret?

Katherine J Gillis · Feb 13, 2016

Hi Bill,
Thank you for the welcome.
I will address those questions and more in my web class, to be available soon.
I will tell you this, always use a good brush. I use Winsor Newton series 7 brushes, 0, 00, 000. I also use a Adams retouching machine with magnifier to aid with retouching negatives. Not sure about the syringe and needle. I will experiment.
Stay in touch by email.
Katgillis@me.com
Thanks Bill

Sirius Glass · Feb 13, 2016

Katherine J Gillis said:
I just joined Apug today and I have been a professional traditional retoucher for over 23 years. I am seeking input from members on what they would find invaluable in a retouching and spotting course. My name is Katherine J Gillis and I would appreciate your input.

Welcome to APUG

Old-N-Feeble · Feb 14, 2016

+6 reading glasses

Visual aid for print spotting?

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