We may want to start a new thread over on DPUG about digital half-tone negatives, however it seems it would be better to keep it all here. I have started attempting/experimenting with half-tone negatives from an inkjet printer. I have not gotten results worthy of attempting a carbon print yet, as the screen is still too course. But I'm still at very early stages of trying different methods. Most the info out there is from silk screen printers, who don't need the resolutions we need with a carbon print. There is some stuff from photogravure people and they are using aqua-tint screens in combination with digital negatives. That may be the way to go, but there are still more methods to try first.
I started this quest after seeing the highlight detail in CMB' prints. I'm far from a great carbon printer, but I can't even get close with a digital negative to his examples with half-tone negatives.
This is a very interesting discussion. I'm putting September 1927, Photographic Journal, pages 418-419 on my library list and if I can easily find it I will post it.
Just for the sake of mentioning it, analog half-toning is also an option and it doesn't sound that difficult (but what do I know..). However, I guess you'd need a process camera, or a copy camera with a provision for placing the line-screen at various points in the optical path.
F.E. Ives discusses the principle of the "optical-V" in his autobiography (which I can share if anyone is interested, just drop me a line, I've scanned it... shhh...). The key variables are (a) number of lines per inch in the line-screen, (b) distance of line-screen to film plane and (c) f/stop.
Many years ago I was an avid reader of (I believe it was titled) "Darkroom Photography" magazine and in those issues, the magazine quite often detailed many alternative processes including color carbon printing. If you manage to find any back issues, you will find a veritable treasure trove of information on the topic.
This is somewhat related to the OP, Nick Knight has an exhibition on at the moment that includes one of well known images as a hand coated pigment print, I will see it in the gallery next week however i am quite surprised at the size of it at 40x60 inchs (http://showstudio.com/shop/product/devon_nick_knight) Would like to know who is printing these, I heard it was someone in the U.S. Charles do you know if Todd printed this, if not who did?
Tod did not make the prints. My guess would have been "Mac" MacGowan who makes mural size monochrome carbros but I hear he has been ill for the last year or so. Perhaps it was that Frenchman who lives on your side of the pond.
Maybe I am foolish to say this, but I am thinking that one could simply make the colour seperation negatives from regular black and white large format film? Of course, digital negative printing has its conveniences, but I presume there is nothing against going about it in the old fashioned way? As one might conclude, I am suggesting this since I am a bit of a dunce when it comes to using digital workstations.
Also, I am slightly curious about the albumen coating emulsion that was demonstrated in one of the videos. Albumen, water and bichromate of potash - how much of each is used to create the emulsion solution?
This should work, I just saved the word file and attached it. If not, you can join the Yahoo! Carbon Transfer group, go to Files, then Sizing for Art Papers and it's the top 1 I believe.
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