Enlarging masks?

Liam

Liam

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I did some printing today using an easel but because I was printing 6x6 I was having to use the edge of a 8x10 sheet. Does anyone know an easy (cheap) way of making masks instead of using an easel so that I can get the square print in the middle?

Thanks
 
which enlarger
what lens
how big were you trying to print

:)
 
Sorry I am not sure on the enlarger/lens but I want a mask to use on the paper, so 8x10. I was thinking maybe a piece of card?
 
A piece of card with the size square you want carefully cut out pushed up onto the left and top edges, against the slot-in plates should do the trick! Don't forget to allow for border measurements on the card.
 
What was wrong with the Easel Liam? If it was a cheap one you might have been screwed but something like an RRB would allow you to set upto a 2" border which would have allowed you to centre the image on the paper.

Scan the print and show us what you did.
 
We have about 5 easels in the darkroom but all of them involve the image having to be in the corner. I will scan a few of them soon but I like the idea of making a few prints that look like this (photoshop)..

Untitled-1-9.jpg


Instead of this..

2-3.jpg


I guess just a bit of carefully cut card could work?
 
Sounds like the college have given you some cheap **** easels. Tell them to go and buy some decent RRB easels off of ebay. I've got two different sized RRBs and they give you up to a 2" border so they could do what you want with ease.

I've also got a cheap **** easel that give you something like a 1/4" or 1/2" easel. Should go in the bin.

What I would say though is that if you go for the mask option you can use the easel to make sure the edges on the mask and easel line up squarely.


What will you do with the finished prints? Will they be displayed as they are or will you mount them? If you're going to mount them then where you put them on the peper isn't really important.
 
Hi Kev, cardiff doesn't have any art courses so the darkroom is owned by the society (£8 a year for unlimited use/chemicals..) So tbh its quite good as there is 2 120 enlargers and there is only a couple of us who use it.

The prints are for personal use, as I want to make a portfolio with just a few of my favorite as I hardly ever print any of my negs. This is why I want them in the middle.
 
Fair enough mate, you can't look a gift horse in the mouth. In that case I'd definitely go for a 10x8 mask with a 6x6 hole in it unless you can get someone to buy you a better easel.
 
On a side note, does anyone know a decent portfolio I could use to put the 8x10 prints in?
 
Cut an 'L' shape piece of mount board and tape it in the correct position on the baseboard.

EDIT: assuming you're using the full neg. Hold down the sheet with metal rulers.
 
Mohain said:
Cut an 'L' shape piece of mount board and tape it in the correct position on the baseboard.

EDIT: assuming you're using the full neg. Hold down the sheet with metal rulers.
Click to expand...



Won't that stop the easel closing properly on the right and bottom edges?


I'd have said a precut mount was the way to go, any decent art shop will do it for you, or better than that, does your college have a fabrication shop with a laser cutter?
 
I might have a look in an art shop next time I am in town then, we probably do have a laser cutter hidden in the engineering department that has probably never been used before :p
 
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