Impressions from stamping dies

Karen L. Pavelka <pavelka [at] mail__utexas__edu> writes

>Robert J. Milevski writes:
>>...(Stamping dies) I want to make sharp dark impressions
>>of these dies for scanning into a computer.
>...
>
>Would it be possible to photograph the dies in black and white under
>slightly raking light and then transfer the image to a scanner?

Most stamping dies will receive ink as if they were type. Set your
die on a printmaking press, ink up, and "print" your impression. If
you've got stock--wood or plastic, you can build it up to type-high
and run it through a proofing press. If you don't have a press at
all, use etching ink, a rolling pin or nipping press, cover the die
with old felt cloth, dampen your paper, and pull a proof. This will
give you an accurate, clean impression with just a little practice.

The problem with K. Pavelka's approach is that it's an inaccurate
way to get a degraded image, and will be further degraded when
scanned into your computer.

Nicholas G. Yeager
51 Warren St.#2
New York, NY 10007-212-346.9609

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:49
                Distributed: Wednesday, December 2, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-12-49-024
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