Photographic Contone*

Photographic Contone* imaging - a new lithographic process for photography that produces a continuous tone image using unique dot free technology. A photograph, negative or positive transparency is transferred to the plate without being scanned. The printed image captures all the richness and depth of tone of the original.

‘Unlike conventional lithographic reproduction of tones, Contone does not use a halftone screen to break the image up into tiny solid dots, of varying size, to fool the eye into seeing a continuous tone’.

‘the image produced has a closer relationship to the chemically produced original than it does to a reproduction of it in a book or magazine, or even a photogravure’.

‘give me a matt silver print, or an inkjet printed on art paper, or a Contone – or a platinum print on watercolour paper. Surface really matters: it reflects values and asks the viewer to mirror them’.

- Eddie Ephraums, Ag magazine

Ag42 article - "An atelier way of working" by Eddie Ephraums www.ag-photo.co.uk

‘Like a platinum print, but with greater definition’

- John Claridge

www.johnclaridgephotographer.com

Photographic Contone*

The Photographic Contone* process allows for a photographic image to be printed without the use of a dot screen. All the detail is printed giving the exact qualities captured on the original.

A Contone* print can be made from either a negative, photograph or positive transparency from which a film positive is made to the size of the finished image. The positive is then exposed onto the plate from which to print, using the full potential of the plate’s surface to convey all of the detail. The result is a replication of the highest quality. All inks are hand mixed to precise requirements and all materials used can be archival ensuring the print will retain its definition for many years to come.

As specialist printers of artist original prints we have been working on a collaborative basis with artists for more than 45 years. Working in this way ensures that the finished works have a vitality often missing from straightforward reproduction.

An artist/photographer works with our printmakers allowing them to concentrate on their image whilst we take care of the technical side. Having developed Photographic Contone* we can now offer photographers the opportunity to create their original works in a similar way. Each print is hand printed and finished, permitting great flexibility and ensuring complete control.

Currently the process is only available in monochrome, using inks mixed to the artist/photographers precise requirements.

For example it could be a straight black, or black mixed with blue or brown or in fact, any colour of their choice. We are currently working to develop the process to work using full colour.

*Patent applied for