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  #1  
Old 9th November 2010, 08:46 AM
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NStepien NStepien is offline
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Default Print spotting technique

Hello to all,

This is my first posting so please bear with me if I don't get it quite right.

I was wondering if anyone has observations or a technique that works for them when spotting prints. I've read material on the subject, but struggle to produce satisfactory results. I am assuming that the aim is to have the spot virtually disappear when viewed at all angles, or am I expecting too much?

I've used Spotone with a very fine brush as well as the Tetenal spotting pens.

Thanks.
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Old 9th November 2010, 08:56 AM
Neil Smith Neil Smith is offline
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I have used a Paterson spotting kit and the technique I use is to start spotting with a lighter shade of tone than you need and build up to darken it till it matches the area you are spotting. Though I do spend huge efforts on producing photographs as dust free as possible and often the spot needing attention is very small, trying to spot large areas is very tricky, sometimes I would rather reprint.

A side note to this, I went to see an exhibition of Bill Brandt photographs and noted the spotting was distinctly noticeable and looked very amateurish, but from the viewing distance of the prints, you could not tell.


Neil
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Old 9th November 2010, 09:13 AM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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Neil's advice is good, and I can only add that it is unnecessary to go further than disguising the blemishes, on the grounds that if you don't notice them, then you won't see them.

As a general point you can search FADU for existing posts that cover any subject. In this case if you click on "search" on the toolbar near the top of the screen and then type "print spotting" into the test box and click "Go", then the system will list posts containing that subject for you.

Why not take time to post a little about yourself in the introduction thread, others here will be pleased to hear from you.
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Old 10th November 2010, 09:15 PM
MarkWalker MarkWalker is offline
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Here's my tips, some of which you probably do.

I find one of the most important parts of spotting is to get comfortably set up - perhaps a stool at a table/desk at elbow height -and spend a fair amount of dedicated time on it, no quick fixes I'm afraid.

-Find somewhere well lit, preferably with daylight.
-Perhaps use a sloping board and masking tape the print to it to leave your hands free
-Get a large standing magnifier, or like me a large loupe on a stand (an old condenser lens could be taped to a homemade frame)
get some spots of ink (make doesn't matter, it all fades faster than the print) on a saucer
-Make sure your 00 or 000 brush comes to a point when only damp, or experiment with a tooth pick, for example
-Dilute the ink with a little distilled water and form a palette of shades; practice on the print margin to judge the tone with the minimum amount of ink the brush/tip will transfer - a 1mm spot could take a dozen touches, once your techniques right (fast but light touches) this only takes a few seconds
-Either use cotton gloves or a pad to rest your hands on, a pad like the car screen demisters makes a good support for your wrist.

-Try not to do too much spotting as it will become more noticeable. If there are more than half a dozen that really need doing I would reprint, best through a diffuser light source.
There is a lot more that could be said, I even have a 1940's book on spotting, but the key is patience and the knowledge that it's worth doing.
I have some Tetenal pens but I find the ink too fluid with a tendency to pool, I just can't get the right technique with them.
Hope some of this might help,
Regards
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Old 10th November 2010, 09:21 PM
MarkWalker MarkWalker is offline
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Forgot to add, as you didn't mention it, but this only really works at its best with fibre prints. For RC paper I've never got satisfactory results so can't advise.
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Old 10th November 2010, 10:59 PM
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Adrian Twiss Adrian Twiss is offline
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One tip I read was that you only spot those blemishes that you notice in the first 10 seconds of viewing a print. This works on the assumption that if you don't notice them in the first 10 seconds nobody else will either. The only contrary point is if your viewer is one of those people who stick their noses right up to a print and scrutinize every square inch. Mind you such people are not really viewing a print. I have done this with prints that have been submitted to camera club competitions and up to now no judge as pointed out blemishes on my prints.
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Old 11th November 2010, 08:37 AM
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Thank you all for taking the time to reply and your comments have been very helpful. I have had the same "pooling" experience with the Tetenal pens and thought I was doing something wrong. I will work on perfecting the brush technique and only on fibre prints.
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Old 11th November 2010, 09:14 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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You can spot RC paper as easily as spotting FB paper, I use an old Kaiser spotting kit, which is water colours in black and various shades of grey in warmtone and cold tone,similer to the old Patterson kit, and I use it to spot FB and RC paper, with RC it is easier to spot the oyster or satin type, and with fb the mat type, Don't try and get rid of everything you see under a magnifler, remember that what you see in the first few seconds is your viewer will see, so spot what you see, and just try and disguise the blemish, not make it invisible,as long as it is hidden when looking in normal light it will not be noticed,if you look at the print under oblique lighting you will see the spotting whatever you do, but upright under normal viewing conditions it will not be noticed, and that is was you want, if the print is very spotty then I would Reprint, using difffusion, even in a condenser enlarger putting a diffuser in the filter draw helps,(I use a piece of ground glass) Richard
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Old 13th December 2010, 07:36 PM
youngrichard youngrichard is offline
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Default This got me thinking

As I was spotting some prints for Round 25 (my first time so I'm nervous), the better to choose one for submission, I wondered whether members seek eagerly to find the newest and best dye, or carry on using the dye they bought aeons ago? My wife remarked "I think you have had that re-touching kit as long as I have known you" which as it is 38 years is some time. Actually I think I first had a Paterson kit; I still use the Palette and box but the Paterson tubes of dye which, I seem to remember, were not very good, soon went; and I bought 2 bottles of Martin's dyes. The one I have left - still 2/3 full - is labelled Martin's Black Dye. Can't remember what the other was but I think it leaked or shattered.
The bottle I have left seems very well suited to Ilford Multigrade RC; perhaps I could get better results with FB, but I only want my pictures to last my lifetime, not a thousand years. And I think the bottle is at least 25 years old, and it is not going to be empty when I pop my clogs.
So my question is: Are those members responding to this post talking about the latest spotting dyes, if there are such things? Or the dyes they have had for 5 - 10 -15 - 20 - 25 years? If so what are they? Are there any new must-have dyes? Why does a set of Spotones on eBay fetch a premium price? And finally, back in the last century, why on earth would anyone sell a product for 2 or three quid that would last way beyond the buyer's lifetime? It's commercial suicide.
If any of my children were analogue photographers I could give them a legacy of the remains of my bottle. But they aren't; although they love my black and whites.
Richard
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  #10  
Old 13th December 2010, 07:51 PM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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I use Tetenal spotting pens, but have a range of Spotone dyes available. I guess they fetch a premium because they are no longer made, not sure why that should be because other makes are available such as Diaphoto.
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