How do I purchase a random dot screen for double exposures?

The dot screens mentioned in my book (on page 58) are Cristal Raster screens, printed on an imagesetter, either at 1800 or 2400 dpi, 80% black, and 21um (dot size). They are pretty cheap if you get them straight from a film printing bureau. A film lab has to have the Cristal Raster software. The lab I use has Agfa Cristal Raster software. You have to ring around to find somewhere that has that facility. I pay about Aud$20 for an A4 size screen (21 x 30 cm) and Aud $30 for an A3 (30 x 42 cm). The screens are good and long-lasting, but need to be kept flat or rolled, and not creased.

How do I purchase plates for photopolymer (solarplate) printmaking?

I purchase my plates from suppliers to the commercial printing industry. I found them by investigating suppliers to the flexographic or ‘flexo’ printing trade. These suppliers do need to know what brand of plate you want to purchase and the code number.

I mainly use Miraclon MS94 (golden colour) now for workshops and general intaglio and relief printing because the plate tone on intaglio prints is less than Torelief WS95 (green/blue) plates. Torelief WS95 are still excellent for letterpress, relief and embossing plates. I also use Miraclon MS94 and Printight KM73 plates for photographic photopolymer printmaking. The detail is best in the Printight plates, but they do lighten the quarter tones, and their exposures are much longer than the Miraclon plates (speaking generally).

Hand-printed Books using Photopolymer Plates, diverse technical processes.
SGC Conference, April 2004
Rutgers Center for Innovative Print & Paper
New Jersey, USA

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