"COMPS"...how are they produced?

How are B+W 8x10 comps made? By a comp I mean a print of a person

that has their name (and sometimes statistics) exposed onto it. I'm

really only interested in answers that deal with traditional darkroom

methods (as much as I believe that digital may be better for this!)

Thanks...jim

Simple method is to print the info you want on acetate sheet and lay this over the printing paper - the print prevents exposure and comes out white. For black you could feasibly do a reverse print and simply burn in the info in black. For what it's worth. I've done the former but only on a print or two.

In my experience the easiest way to produce them in the darkroom is to first print the portrait leaving some white space all around the image (printing a full frame portrait with a filed-out neg carrier makes a snappy looking comp, quite "` la mode" here in Hollywood North... er that is Vancouver BC). Then create a piece of film 8x10 or bigger (Kodalith developed in the two part lith developer works best) with the person's name being clear and the rest being black. (easily created by shooting a laser output on 8x10 film or by a service bureau output of a computer file). Place it on top of the paper and contact print the name onto the portrait.

 

This way you need not compromise image quality by printing through acetate.

 

If you shoot the portrait on a light background or if the subject is wearing light clothes then you can get away without creating a white border for the black type to show up on. Traditionally comps have been borderless but the technique described above creates contemporary looking results and is more forgiving with registration and other manual darkroom issues.

 

Hint: Most people who want comps require lots of 'em (in the order to 50-250 at a time). Do these assembly line stlye exposing the portrait and name in large amounts seperatly. Commercial Labs that render this service actually end up shooting a copy neg (usually 4x5 or 70mm) of one good print produced manually and print off hundreds from there. There is slight loss of sharpness, but the subjects don't usually mind as this is usually kind to their complexion.

 

Whatever technique you use be make sure it fits the subject and the industry it's supposed to appeal to. Some actors have two or three shots depending on the kind of part they are auditioning for!

 

Good Luck!