![]() In all the cases brought so far to the Paper Conservation Laboratory of the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, the challenges were how to create an identical and proper surface with Japanese papers, to enable Schmincke Horadam watercolours chromatic reintegration. Conservation and restoration treatments applied to these objects vary in consonance with the preservation problems they show and the type of materials and features they present. Easily damaged by being forgotten in the back of a chest of drawer, or even inside shoe boxes, they show problems as creases, folds, fractures, finger prints, fungi attack, image fading and loss, paper abrasions, lack of paper cohesion and paper loss. ![]() Being paper-based with a gelatine coating, with usually different length and width proportions, they suffer poor handling and improper housing. Preserving privately owned old photographs might be challenging. Color fading is therefore not uncommon in contrast to carbros which have a higher lightfastness. FTIR analysis of multiple sets of dyes confirmed the nature of the dyes as being acid dyes as indicated in the literature. ![]() A print can also exhibit differential gloss and fluorescence in the magenta colors when unobstructed by a finishing layer. Unaided visual examination and VLM provided the following visible characteristics specific to the Flexichrome: continuous tone with no misalignment or misregistration of superimposed color layers and the presence of fluid lines and visible brushstrokes depending on the skill of the colorist. Handheld XRF analysis showed both the absence of silver and chromium, supporting the ability to distinguish a hand colored gelatin silver print and carbro prints from the Flexichrome. A key goal of the study was to establish identification clues for Flexichromes, informed by results from invasive and non-invasive analytical techniques. Prints and dye samples were characterized using a complement of analytical techniques including visible and fluorescence light microscopy (VLM, FLM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. This paper presents an overview of the Flexichrome process and, through the study of selected Flexichrome prints and historic dyes, investigates the technology and variations in the formulations available. Kodak purchased the patent from Crawford and remarketed the product as the 'Kodak Flexichrome' from 1949 until 1961. The Flexichrome was first marketed by Jack Crawford as the 'Crawford Flexichrome' in the early 1940s. Final prints resemble those made with other processes like carbro or hand-colored gelatin silver. We'd like to thank Marek for sharing his images and process with us! To view more of his work, visit his LomoHome and Instagram page.Flexichrome is the commercial name for a dye imbibition process where the color image is formed by hand coloring a gelatin relief with acid dyes, without the use of color separation negatives and with great creative freedom. What other printing processes do you plan to pursue in the future?Īmong alternative process that I mostly use (Lith and cyanotype), I'm also interested to explore bromoil and gum printing. ![]() Prints can take lot of time to show in the developer (sometimes more than 30 minutes, depending of the dilution and freshness of the developer), so bring some nice music to enjoy this precious time. Lith printing can be time consuming, it's a matter of patience. ![]() It's absolutely not a mandatory step, but this will make your life easier to get used manipulating an enlarger, and chemistry in the darkroom first. What advice would you give someone who also wants to try Lith printing?īefore starting playing with Lith, I would recommend to get familiar with the classic silver gelatin process in the darkroom. ![]()
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