In this section I am going to show you how to output a Photoshop grayscale to your inkjet printer, this produces a very detailed and smooth stochastic halftone. The best way of adjusting the black output from grayscales (not bitmaps) is in the printing software, the curves can be adjusted there also. This also saves a lot of printer ink and builds in your "aquatint". If you don't have the printer software to do this, you can do the same in Photoshop Image> Adjust>Curves and reduce the blacks to 85%. The percentage of black may take some testing with different printers but 85% is a good starting point.

I am using Mac OS9 for this and these options should be available to Windows users.

The positive for this image was printed on an Epson 3000 using Posjet film and the postscript driver. The Image>Mode has been converted to Grayscale. The image was adjusted by 'eye' on the screen, then I went to File>Print Options... check Show More Options and click Transfer. The same can be done on a non postscript Epsn printer, just go File>Page Setup.

Slide the bar down to 85% or enter 85 next to 100. Click OK then Print. Print at 1440 dpi, black only, and select photo glossy paper. This curve opens up the blacks so no aquatint is needed. You can save this curve also, then when you return to this screen, click Load, then select the saved curve.

Examine the transparency with a loupe to assess the dot pattern in the darks and lay the transparency on top of a white sheet of paper to judge it overall. The transparency against the paper will closely resemble the final print when etched properly.

This plate was exposed with Puretch on a NuArc 1000 watt Mercury Vapor exposure unit at a #6 on the Stouffer scale. #7 is the ideal target and easier to process than the borderline #6. It was developed for 1 minute, then rinsed thoroughly for at least 60 seconds in cool water. The water was then air dried with heat using a hair dryer on high. Nothing mechanical touched the surface during processing. The plate was exposed again (30 seconds) to further harden the resist. The plate was 'wetted' with the developer just briefly, followed with a quick rinse then etched in 42ºB ferric, agitating the entire time with a feather, for 11 minutes.

The pre-bath of developer is highly recommended and helps the ferric quickly begin etching the exposed copper at the same time. Placing a dry plate in the ferric can turn out streaky and is noticeable in some photographic images.

It is recommended that plates be polished for very high res positives because subtle scratches in the plate can cause light refraction and fog small dots. This was exposed on roofing copper posished with a metal polish to almost mirror finish. It was printed with Graphic Chemical- Etching Blue Black.

The etched halftone can now be printed or reworked in traditional techniques. If specific areas are staged out while etching, this will increase the tonal range. Once the plate almost reaches the point of undercutting, it can be aquatinted and further spot etched to increase the intensity of blacks. Feel free to experiment with the curves and please report your results via e-mail.

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