Lately I have been working on some small tutorials on Photogravure and printing. Here is the first one about getting ink into tubes. The reason I do this is to save the ink from drying out and to also save custom blends for large projects.
How to get etching inks into tubes.
I am pleased to share an article written about me by ShoutOutLA talking about my passion as a photographer.
https://shoutoutla.com/meet-greg-brophy-photographer-and-fine-art-printer/
I just found out today that I have been awarded the 2021 Hahnemühle Award from Rfotofolio with Norm Snyder. I am honored to have won this award and to be included with so many talented artist. Thanks to Diane Bloomfield and Ann Jastrab, Constance Rose and Connie and Jerry Rosenthal.
All images are for sale. Contact me at greg@gregbrophy.com for more info. The whole series will be up and live soon.
Song For The Dying
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
Misplaced Journals
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
Information Overload
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
Locked Down
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
Memento Mori
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
I Used To Play The Blues
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
Will It Ever End
Photopolymer Gravure prints Paper on archival watercolor paper with an edition of 5 and one Printers Proof.
You can now see “The Iron Triangle” exhibition at the Bob Carnie Printmaking and Gallery virtually for those that can’t make it to the show.
I am proud to announce my first solo show of 22 pieces from "The Iron Triangle" Series at the Bob Carnie Printmaking & Gallery in Toronto, Canada from September 4th to October 11th. I will be there September 18th to meet and greet people. This has been over a year in the making and and so glad to finally be able to show this work thanks to the help of Bob Carnie.
Various tests with Japanese paper and the photogravure process with samples and tips.
Read MoreLately I have been getting questions from people offline about some of the material I use so I thought I would put them here all together on one page.
When I make a print, I use a sheet of newsprint and a smooth marker paper in between the paper I am printing on and the blankets to get smooth tones. So it’s the plate, Somerset Satin as the paper I am printing on then newsprint, then the marker paper and finally the cushions. I use https://www.amazon.com/Borden-Riley-Novel-Newsprint-Paper/dp/B01M3UFJ88/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=borden+and+riley+newsprint&qid=1568834603&s=gateway&sr=8-4 for newsprint and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015UUX60/?coliid=I1I7P14T4ZLM3I&colid=UF32RCMMEHYG&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it for the marker paper.
For ink that comes in caulking tubes, I uses these to reseal them: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MSGTY7B/?coliid=I2LXOK523LCCL&colid=1U4MMYKQVL51Y&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it and for inserting can inks into a caulking tube I uses these empty ones: https://www.ebay.com/itm/SALE-12-pack-Empty-Fillable-Caulking-Tube-Cartridge-Made-in-USA-Brand-New/253269743635?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
For filing the edges I use the blue one in this set: https://www.amazon.com/DMT-W7EFC-Diamond-Whetstone-Stone/dp/B00004WFTB/ref=sr_1_84?crid=E41VGFSV7XZL&keywords=diamond%2Bfiles%2Bfor%2Bsharpening&qid=1568834935&s=gateway&sprefix=diamond%2Bfiles%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-84&th=1
Here is some info on paper soaking times and ink choices from David Morrishs’ book Copperplate Demystified.
For the last week I have been working with Richard Boutwell from B&W Mastery to get the smoothers tones using his software QuadToneProfiler-QuickCurve to work on getting smooth tones in the highlight sections of a Direct to Plate Photopolymer Gravure. I think we have been successful and will be working still to improve it especially when he releases his latest version of his software which is very easy to use.
Here are the results:
Full size jpgs
Original Direct to Plate using a process I learned from Silvi Glattauer, for future reference referred to as DTP original
Direct to plate after printing the ink values through the Quadtone Rip, for future reference referred to as DTP before linearization
DTP after linearization using Richards QTQC app.
DTP original
DTP before linearization
DTP after linearization
DTP before linearization
DTP after linearization
As you can see in the screen shots of the tonal charts at 500%, DTP before had dots that could easily seen and now they do not in the DTP after linearization.
You can download and see all the files yourself here.
Here is a video of me printing “Choking”
After long anticipation, I have finally received my Conrad E-18 etching press. The press is used but look like new. I bought it directly from Conrad Press and it’s an amazing piece of machinery. It is 18 inches wide by 48 inches long with two 4 inch solid steel rollers. The press is smooth and rolls like butter and is easy to adjust with the micro gauges.
Here is another video of “Twilight” from “The Iron Triangle” series. For a long time I have been trying to print this image with smooth skies but have not been able to do this until now using Direct to Plate printing that I learned from Silvi Glattauer. I have been using Jet plates instead of Toyobo KM73 plates due to issues with mottling. I contacted Toyobo but they were unable to provide an answer.
