Photography Professor Nitin Sampat oversaw the scanning of the original silver prints using a workflow based on HP Artist, a proprietary software program developed at HP Labs. This process generated digital files that accurately captured the tonal characteristics of the original photographs.
The HP Indigo 5500 Press at the Printing Applications Laboratory was chosen for this project because of its superb image reproduction capabilities and the unique ability to use custom-mixed inks. A set of three custom gray inks and one black ink was created and mixed at the Lab. RIT Research Associate, Franz Sigg created custom
In a wonderful coincidence, just as we were about to begin the printing tests, Mohawk Fine Papers released its latest paper for digital printing. Its lush feel and egg shell finish makes it reminiscent of the tactility of a silver print.
For me personally, a great benefit of having this edition printed at RIT was being part of the entire process. Important to the quality of image reproduction were my subjective reactions to the various press proofs during every step of the process. It was an involvement which sometimes resulted in conversations extending beyond fidelity to the changes in perception caused by the difference in the syntax of a silver photograph as opposed to that of an ink/toner on paper image.
Ultimately this group of left and right brainers achieved the goal. Mother Daughter features near-exact replicas of original photographs, perhaps surpassing what we could have expected from a high quality offset lithographic process.
Melbert B. Cary, Jr. Graphic Arts Collection
Printing Applications Lab
Nitin Sampat
Franz Sigg
David Pankow
Marnie Soom, Designer