Digital BW, The Print

On 31 Jul 2013, at 11:25 AM, "zubovak" <bildad@...> wrote:

> Is it possible to get the base carbon black from somewhere else (Image Specialists) and make the base yourself and mix the various dilutions. I can imagine that is what Paul is doing. No?
> 
> What would you need? A good digital scale, some graduated cylinders and a few flasks/beakers.  I already have a nice water distiller. Makes a gallon in about 4 hours.
> 
> I can dream can't I?

It's not that difficult, assuming you're printing grayscale images through QTR. You don't even need the scale: I just dilute by half the volume (50%), then half again (25%), etc., and end up with a decent graduation of shades spread over four or six inks. I use Paul's C6b base recipe, which is easily mixed. (I dilute the Eboni K from MIS, but you could use ink from elsewhere, if you could convince them to sell it to you in small enough quantities.)

You do need the patience to measure the response of those inks, and generate custom QTR curves for the printer/ink/paper combo you're using. You also have to be a bit more careful of pigment settling over time, but it's not a worry for smaller printers or larger ones and a bit of discipline to remember to shake the carts occasionally (and re-linearize to adjust for small changes).

I've been doing it this way for many years, and it works wonderfully. I don't recommend it to people who want a plug-and-play solution, but for those of us more interested in process than product, it's an interesting & enjoyable method.

--John