Characteristics of Lithography
As computers become more popular, more artists are developing work digitally, scanning in drawings and photographs and manipulating these using a palette of electronic tools. It is now possible to colour proof images digitally and to then print using photoplates exposed as CMYK colour separations. This procedure was used by the American artist Matthew Egan for the print Pier Leone Ghezzi and similarly for the print Dorothy Vallens by Josie McCoy printed at the Curwen Studio.
At the Curwen Studio, Stanley Jones has been researching and developing a method of photoplate lithography that makes it possible to print a photographic image with extraordinary detail and subtlety of tone. This process called Contone was used for the print Eternal Journey by the artist John Claridge. In Contone the positive film used is made from an original negative that is of the same size as the final image. As the film is exposed directly on to the positive plate, no scanning is involved and as a result continuous tone is achieved. Plate flash exposed and developed gently allows for even greater detail.
Photo-lithography has also been responsible for a diversity of approach enabling artists to work in the most surprising manner and to combine activities from different media. The American artist Kevin Haas who works as a photographer and video artist for instance is interested in using lithography to print stills from fast moving scenes, capturing glimpses of reality as in the print Momentary Shift I. Ginny Reed meanwhile was able to use photoplates to expose layers of dust and detritus trapped on to sticky film left in the corner of the studio over a long period of time.