Date: January 29, 2014 Researcher’s Name: Cathe Janke
Room Temperature: 65 degrees Farenheit, dry
Test Summary
The test sought to determine if the PCB film responds better if the lines of the image are positive or negative. To do this I created 2 films from the same image (a watercolor drawing) and inverted one image to create a negative and left the other one as a positive. I also hoped to determine if the Highlights step in Photoshop was necessary or if that could be done in Brightness/Contrast instead making for fewer steps in Image
Preparation.
. 
Image Preparation
Plate A
1. Kept image as a jpeg. (original file form, imported from camera)
2. Image > size> 5.667, 4.25, 300 dpi
3. Layer> New Adjust Layer> Invert
4. Layer> New Adjust Layer> Channel Mixer > monochrome
5. Layer> New Adjust Layer> Brightness/Contrast> Brightness +82. Contrast +64
6. Filter> Filter gallery > preset aquatint screen, 720 dpi
7. Print, same as original directions, except, dpi on printer at 300 dpi.
Print Parameters Used Let Photoshop determine colors. Gray Gamma 2.2. Rendering intent=Perceptual. Presets= Plain Paper, Resolution HQ 300
Plate B
1. Kept image as a jpeg. (original file form, imported from camera)
2. Image > size> 5.667, 4.25, 300 dpi
3. Layer> New Adjust Layer> Channel Mixer > monochrome
4. Layer> New Adjust Layer> Brightness/Contrast> Brightness -92. Contrast +73
5. Filter> Filter gallery > preset aquatint screen, 720 dpi
6. Print, same as original directions, except, dpi on printer at 300 dpi.
Print Parameters Used Let Photoshop determine colors. Gray Gamma 2.2. Rendering intent=Perceptual. Presets= Plain Paper, Resolution HQ 300
Plate Material: .032 Copper Plate Size: 5″ x 6”
Plate Preparation
The plates were beveled, polished with 00 grade steel wool, and degreased with soy sauce and bon ami.
The image was printed on the PCB film with a Brother HL2280DW laser printer. The copper plate was placed on a phone book and the film was placed on its surface print-side-down. The film was carefully heated to the plate with a tacking iron for 8 minutes at 300 degrees F.
Testers found that backing the plate with contact paper was most pragmatic AFTER the plate had been ironed and cooled and with the film still adhered to the plate
Plate A, film after transfer
Plate B, film after transfer
Etching Notes
: The plate was etched in a 39 degrees Baume Ferric Chloride bath in a vertical tank.
Time in Bath 20 minutes
Removal of Grounds:
Plates were saturated with SoySolvII and left to soak for 5 minutes. Ground was then wiped off easily with a rag.
After Bath Evaluation: Plate B looks good.
Inking Methods : Plate was inked with Graphic Chemical Etching Ink in Bone Black, applied with a piece of mat board. It was gently wiped in an outwards motion with a piece of tarlatan. Then paper wiped, then hand-wiped.
Paper Type: Hahnemuhle, warm white
Paper Soaking Time: Damp pack overnight
Press Blanket Setup: Takach pressure at 5.5, 2 blankets, sheet of newsprint
Test Conclusion: Hightlights step does not seem necessary and the brightness/contrast of Plate A looked correct on the screen in photoshop but did not transfer well. The tester still seems to think the toner lying in the white areas, or having the drawing be the white of the image is one possible and successful way to use this film.
Plate A
The tonalities are lost in the background, it is reading as solid black and the blacks are too dense they are not allowing the press n peel to stick to the plate in any of the dark areas. So the darks need to be in the gray range. The film wants to stick to the black because there is a solid layer of toner.
Plate B
The image was not inverted and the press n peel protected all the marks even the finest lines. The open bite around the lines created a confusing cacophony of mid-tones and darks. The smudges acted like an aquatint. Everything, even the most subtle tonalities transferred.