María de Mater O'Neill
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Documentation of the process of ««Enable Blue (Flat Mode)», 2006.
Edition of 300 (plus 20 Artist's proof), print, commission by «Museo de Arte de Ponce» for the «Círculo de las Artes» Program. The artist's proposal is a print artwork using commercial printing, base on painting «Enable Blue». This is a five passes printing process, using Pantone Metallic Integrated Process Color (silver and gold) to produce a limited print edition.
PRE-PRESS STAGE
[1] Sketch and technical color specification. [2] Metallic Pantone 877c, [3] Pantone 873c and [4] simulation of metallic green, orange and blue that will go on «brise-soleil» stripes. The following illustrations [5-10] are the digital files for the printer, color is just a visual aid for this demonstration (for better color representation refer to [2],[3] and [4], although metallics are difficult to display on computer monitors). The first plate in the printing process is silver, 20% and 40% color saturation [5]. Second plate is Yellow Process, at 20%, 70% and 100% saturation [6]. Third plate is gold at 100% saturation [7]. Fourth plate is Magenta Process at 100% saturation [8] and last plate to be printed is Cyan Process, at 100% and 30% saturation [9]. All plates, notice that there is not black ink [10]. On the digital file, the K channel (which usually is use for the black in a CMYK process) will be use by the silver, notice the 40% on the K [11], same process was used on the rest of the channels, and a Spot channel for gold was added.
PRINTING STAGE
[12] Approved Iris's proof, in able for the go ahead to the press. From [13 tru 17] stills of the printing process of silver, Yellow Process and gold by printer Carlos Burgos at Elmendorf Colors. [18] Quicktime movie (00:10:30.24, 15.26 MB) showing the change of plate (from Yellow Process to gold), checking the first print, adjusting registration and the ink saturation, and final approval (each printing passes is signed by artist). Yellow is necessary in able to boost the gold, just as it was done with the Gold Leaf in the painting «Enable Blue». Metallic inks have to dry first before printing over them. As the metallic inks are additional to the process colors, screen pattern problems (moiré) are caused if one process color is not eliminated in the metallic parts of the image (30 or 15 halftone screen angle intervals are suitable for the look-like of continuous color, know as the Bezold effect). That is why registration of all the 5 plates are crucial. The moiré effect was used by the artist on the sintetic silk of «Pink (To Monroe)». Traditionally a halftone is produced by placing a halftone screen between a piece of film and the image and then exposing the film (now done digitally). [19] Ilustration showing the desire Bezold effect, halftone screens with process ink at different screen angles (correctly registered dots form rosettes), an enlargement of a halftone gradient, and at the bottom the moiré effect. If there is a moiré, it will not give the optical illusion of the metallic green and orange, the Bezold effect needed for full color printing. [20] Artist at Haydeé Venegas's place, coordinator for the «Círculo de las Artes» Program, with a recent re-print Venegas bought of Yves Klein: «Peintures» (1954), produce by Centre Pompidou (Paris), in the ocassion of the exhibition «Yves Klein, Corps, couleur, immatériel» (5 October 2006 - 5 February 2007). Klein's prints are «Enable Blue (Flat Mode)» references, as well as Donald Judd cubes and his quote on color ("Color, to continue, had to occur in space", Donald Judd: Colorist, 2000). [21] Checking the screen on the Magenta Process. [22] On the last plate, metallic luminance can be appreciated on the Cyan Process.
FINAL STAGE
[23-24] A simple Embossed Gold and Silver Foil portfolio (8.5" x 12.5", Warren Dull Lustro, 120 pounds) was done with a insert of small booklet (4" x 6"), a Glama sheet (29 pounds) to hold the print for its protection as well to include the customary documentation.
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©2008 - María de Mater O'Neill