Lichtdruck Im Digitalen Zeitalter (Collotype in the Digital Age)

Thirkell, Paul

Abstract

Thirkell's research into collotype has investigated a new area of image-making in the field of fine art print. Through adapting what has historically been a highly specialized reproductive medium, a fusion of old and new has been brought to the creation and output of digitally mediated print. Collotype is a unique medium in that it renders images in continuous tone rather than the ubiquitous and cruder halftone method. The Centre for Fine Print Research's work into this process for rendering digitally mediated artists prints generated two large AHRB research grants between September 2001- March 2004. The project led to a number of innovations, namely the adaption of digital output to produce continuous tone pre-press negatives and the development of a digital method for creating the non-standard, extended colour separation method common to traditional analogue collotype. The paper outlined a number of the project's findings; these included the production of collotype compatible digital negatives, methods for making customized colour separations using digital technology and the production of traditional high quality collotype inks.

The significance of collotype and the characteristics of its inks were discussed in an interview with Thirkell on Material World, BBC Radio 4, 13 June 2002.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/thematerialworld_20020613.shtml
Paper given at Society for Imaging Science and Technology, The PICS conference, an international technical conference on the science and systems of digital photography 13-16 May 2003, paper title, A Reassessment of Past Colour Collotype, Printing Achievements as a Model for Current Digital, Archival Printing Practice, ISBN 0-89208-245-3. A further elaboration of the research was given at the 2nd International Collotype Conference, Bristol, 31 January 2005, hosted at CFPR, which brought together researchers and industrial practitioners from twelve countries including USA, Japan, Italy and Germany.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 1st International Lichtdruck Konferenz/ International Collotype Conference, Lichtdruck Kunst
• Start Date: Apr 28, 2002
• End Date: Apr 28, 2002
• Publication Date: Apr 28, 2002
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: collotype, digital age
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1078342
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : 1st International Lichtdruck Konferenz/ International Collotype Conference, Lichtdruck Kunst