Dye transfer matrix film at JandC Photo

I just noticed that JandC Photo is carrying dye transfer matrix

film. I don't recall seeing that on the product list several months

ago, tho' I may have just overlooked it.

 

Dye transfer was the process of choice for Eliot Porter and has been

for Ctein for many years. It's a unique process that produces

natural looking colors that are vivid without being cartoonish, with

excellent range and moderate contrast. The process also allows for

considerable control over color balance without producing an effect

tht appears unnatural. It gives the photographer a more varied

palette.

 

Despite claims of archival qualities made for inkjet prints, dye

transfer has been proven over decades to produce long lasting

prints. Among the papers most commonly used in color print

processing today, only Fuji Crystal Archive is generally recognized

as having archival properties that can rival dye transfer prints.

 

I don't know whether JandC is carrying the other materials needed for

dye transfer printing, but if you've ever had any interest in this

process now is a good time to grab the film while it's still

available.

 

There are several references on the web describing the process,

including a link from the JandC site.

 

jandcphoto.com

 

Nope, I don't work for them, I'm not related to them, never met John

(tho' we've corresponded by e-mail) and they aren't bribing me with

Tetenal Neofin Blue (hint, hint...). I'm just a satisfied JandC

customer.

Lex,

 

That is interesting news, indeed.

 

In the seventies I worked for a color lab in Tampa called Color Corporation of America (CCA). They were the largest dye-transfer lab in the country. We printed dye-transfers for Ernst Haas, Pete Turner, Elliot Porter and many NY Ad Agencies. Our bread and butter was menu boards for Arby's, MCD, BK, KFC and backlit billboards for Marlboro, etc. That's right..fast food menu boards were dye-transfers back then.

 

Selling matrix film is one thing but how about the A/B developer for the matrix film, the color dyes and the mordanted paper for prints? Registration punches and glass tables with registration pins, rollers etc. are all needed as well as the matrix film.

 

A better thing would be if J&C were making dye-transfer prints for their customers.

If Crystal Archive's archival quality is about the same, why bother with the dye-tranfer process?

 

The menu boards that we make these days are done on Kodak's Day/Night material, and they look great. Granted that archival quality does not matter, since you will have to change the prices on the board long before the material's color fades.

I believe the matrix film has been on sale there for a while. The matrix film I believe is Jim's formula. There's a yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dyetransfer/) started by Jim Browning, and frequented by other very knowlegable folks such as Ctien. Efke did a production run after meeting with Jim, and this roll is what's beeing used now. Recipes for the developer are available online, they're not terribly complicated. Dyes are avaiable in powder form from various venders, and there are discusions on the mailing list about vendors. Some are using fixed out multi grade black and white papers, so the only thing that one would need to start printing would be a place to find punches, boards, etc. which could be found used.

 

I think Dye transfer is fascinating, I've had a great time following the group. I wish I had the resources (mostly time and facilities, but money too) to learn dye transfer.

 

Peter

Mike,

 

Crystal Archive paper doesn't have the same quality as Dye-transfer prints and you don't get those cool cyan, magenta and yellow dye stains on your fingers and clothes like you do with Dye-Transfer. #8^)

It's not a matter of what's better, really. Some folks enjoy working with different processes.

 

It's practically a cliche by now to repeat it, but acrylics didn't replace oil painting and oils didn't replace egg tempera. In fact, there are more artists now working in egg tempera than at any time before.

 

Interesting about fast food menu boards, Brooks. I *thought* the McDonalds menu looked tastier when I was a kid.

Lex,

 

Those Big Mac dye-transfers didn't look very appetizing until you peeled back the yellow matrix film. They were cold and blue!

Guys;

 

Dye transfer allows very great flexibility in color. It is the photoshop of conventional color photography. You can adjust the color balance or contrast of the image in just one area or overall by use of the wide array of chemistry that the matrices accept.

 

Dye stability is probably better than most other products out there, if you get the right dyes. But then, that is the best part of DT, you can get quite a number of dyes to work.

 

It is labor intensive.

 

It is fun.

 

It is a super process to use to produce prints from slides or negatives. Unfortuantely, although there is Matrix film - used for making prints from slides, there is no Pan Matrix film available for sale to make prints from Negatives. There is no masking film made to assist in making masks, and there is no Super XX equivalent made with which to make separation negatives. You will have to get information on substitute materials for this from the dye transfer web site or from Jim Browning.

 

Masking film can be used in another variant called Flexichrome. This was where a 'print' was made onto Matrix film from a negative. Then the negative was developed and painted with transferrable dyes. You did two transfers. One of the painted print and the other of a plain black dyed print (CMYK) to get beautiful hand colored prints.

 

Ron Mowrey

Yup. That's why Ctein and other folks who work in dye transfer hoarded supplies of the necessary materials years ago when Kodak announced it was dropping these materials.

 

I imagine there are several dye transfer masters out there who have two or three chest freezers full of the stuff.

Lex;

 

I guess there are some that have supplies of Bromoil and Carbro color chemistry.

 

Right?

 

Ron Mowrey

Oh, man, we can only hope that someone out there still has the materials and expertise to make carbro prints. I think I've seen one in my life in a museum and hope to see some more.

There is someone out there with the expertise to make carbro

prints. A gallery in Connecticut is exhibiting one right now,

actually printed on aluminium. The print must be stunning! Wish

I could see it for real, no museum piece this. Gallery website at

www.flow-of-art.com.