Alternative Photographic Processes—Digital Negatives
Spring Quarter 2015, Kalamazoo College
Richard Koenig, Professor

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 “command-p”, we’ll 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 “gray scale”) 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 “canned” curve for the cyanotype process. I’ve 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, I’m calling our adjustment curve the “art_water_cyan.acv”.

<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 you’ll agree that it is beginning to resemble a nice analogue negative. So let’s get on with it already…

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 “merge-down” (command e)

Add some space to the bottom (using “canvas size”) so you can place a step wedge there

Flatten using “merge-down” (command e)

Size for printing—approximately 5” x 7” @ 240 ppi

To do this, make the longest dimension 7, let the other fall where it may

Set PPI at 240 with “resample image” 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 “load preset”

Use “art_water_cyan”

The image will look very light, but don’t 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 “high speed”

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

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