Alternative Photographic ProcessesÑDigital Negatives For
the making of our digital negatives, we will be optimizing your digital images
with Photoshop and then print the negative on an ink-jet printer. For our
media, we will use Pictorico Premium OHP transparency
film. But before we get to the point of hitting Òcommand-pÓ, weÕll have to do
some adjustments to your digital files. Usually,
when one creates a digital negative using an ink jet printer, one must process
the image a bit. The first few things may be intuitive for you—make your
file into black and white (note that I did not say Ògray scaleÓ) and optimize
the tones in your image so that it looks good in this monochromatic state. But
we also have to do a thing or two that may not be intuitive or visually
pleasing—chiefly by applying an adjustment curve to the image. These
curves are process-specific, and truly, image specific. But we will begin with
a ÒcannedÓ curve for the cyanotype process. IÕve done a little experimenting, and
I believe I found a good starter curve—we will use a curve I found on
Scott Barnes website called Art and Water. So, IÕm calling our adjustment curve
the Òart_water_cyan.acvÓ. <http://artandwater.blogspot.com/2012/03/digital-negatives-adjustment-curves.html> Please
note—this curve will make the image look very bright and lose detail. But
we do this with the end product in mind. To wit—we need to build up
density with non-photographic materials (pigment inks of the Epson printer) to
achieve the proper tonal range in the resultant image. Thus the adjustment
curve will make your image look very light. But when you invert, I think youÕll
agree that it is beginning to resemble a nice analogue negative. So letÕs get
on with it alreadyÉ Making the Negative—The
Complete Procedure Optimize
the Image Using Photoshop, edit your positive, color image Add a black and white adjustment layer—using
sliders to make image look outstanding Flatten using Òmerge-downÓ
(command e) Add some space to the bottom (using Òcanvas sizeÓ) so
you can place a step wedge there Flatten using Òmerge-downÓ
(command e) Size for printing—approximately 5Ó x 7Ó @ 240 ppi To do this, make the longest dimension 7, let the
other fall where it may Set PPI at 240 with Òresample imageÓ checked Sharpen Filter,
sharpen, unsharp mask (with settings of 50, 1, and 0) Load the AW curve Image,
adjustments, curves, look for tiny pull down menu and click on Òload presetÓ Use
Òart_water_cyanÓ The image will look very light, but donÕt worry Invert the image (command i) Flip horizontal Save as a tiff Print
the Negative Load one sheet of Pictorico Premium
OHP Transparency Film Print (command p) Photoshop Print Settings Layout (portrait or landscape) Print Settings Printer Settings Paper
Size: Letter Media Type: Photo Paper Glossy Photo 1440 Uncheck Òhigh speedÓ Save Photoshop Print Settings again Color Handling: Photoshop Handles Colors Printer Profile: SPR2880 Photo Paper Glossy Normal Printing Rendering Intent: Perceptual Check Black Point Compensation Print Let this negative dry a bit before you use in contact
frame |