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>John Nollendorfs wrote >Michael & (many) others: >Been following this thread and being intellectually entertained by theory >versus science vs real life observations. me too... INTRODUCTION: In a sense, its a battle between the physical scientists (who can, or try to, control all variables) and the behavioral scientists who frequently have to "make do" with non-experimental methods... neither method is correct / incorrect and both add to knowledge and understanding... Inkjet prints are like people in that people make and display them... Henry Wilhelm is not going to (soon anyway) test Dan C's custom-made paper with eggwhite coating and rgb (Tritone) custom mixed inks with pancake syrup additives displayed at altitude, in Aspen, in the bathroom of Jack Nickelsons ski chalet... but it would be "interesting" to know how long the prints lasted anyway... and, if you knew lots of instances like this, with different papers and inks... it would be very helpful... Often the behavioral scientists approach is to collect "reasonable" data relating to correlation's between events (variables) and then to aggregate and analyze this data as a group... NEW POSSIBLE STANDARD: There is a standards group (ASTM) with a relatively simple process and a practical repeatable test... which we could all share so we would all be using a "similar", if not identical, concept when we said "faded"... This standard test helps deal with the issue of Arizona car window tests vs. northern Maine north facing windows... and "maybe" with some of the other variables like humidity, glass, etc. REFERENCE: Quote "ASTM D 5383-97: Practice for the Visual Determination of the of the Lightfastness of Art Materials by Arts Technologists" Copyright 2000 AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS West Conshohocken, PA. All rights reserved. This practice covers a method for exposing specimens of colored art materials indoors to sunlight coming through a closed window. A card containing eight ISO Blue Wool References is exposed simultaneously. Blue Wool References 2 3, 6, and 7, are used as controls in determining when to remove test specimens from exposure and rate them. Test specimens are rated by assigning each specimen the number of the Blue Wool Reference that shows the same amount of color change. This practice may be used to indicate art materials that will change color within a few months or years in normal indoor exposure and those that will remain unchanged for a period of years..." ENDQUOTE huge 6 page snip Adopted by: Developed by ASTM Subcommittee: D01.57 Ordering Information Price: $ 30.00 Printed Pages: 6 http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/STORE/store.htm?E+mystore will get you to the search engine. then put in "D 5383" in "search for standard" STANDARD SUMMARY: I purchased the "Standard" in PDF form for $30.00 and downloaded from the link above... Test protocol involves ink on paper compared to 8 BLUE WOOL ISO TEST samples each with a *known* fade resistance... When your print fades at the same rate as wool number 1 it means X years, wool no 2... Y years, wool number 8...Z years...etc. The standard tells you how to build the test device (opaque cardboard with opaque cardboard covers) How to read the results (you must a construct viewing slot using certain size cardboard cutout with known color characteristics, etc) How to create the test image (certain size test strips, etc) etc, etc., etc. 6 pages single spaced instructions but easy to follow and relatively simple The test IS based on window light being an accelerated light over normal display / museum light... Although there can, and will be, significant interpretation (error) in READING the samples - - its better than nothing or waiting or never... and you get to test your own ink combinations on favorite papers (and other weirdness') and if you do comparisons to Wilhelm then there are some (controlled experimental baselines) to follow as well... COMMERCIAL VERSION: A commercial version designed to meet the "standard" test including 3 Blue Wool sample cards is available from: Golden Paints Complete kit: $50 Refill kit: $25 (more BLUE WOOL samples, 3 I think) 1-800-959-6543 (they have a website but product not listed) (they will also send you a handout info sheet for free recommend this first) I purchased the kit as well as the standard and its a very well made implementation of the "standard", but after looking at both the standard and the commercial kit I would recommend folks buy the "standard" if they are concerned about economy... The cheapest way to do this is to buy the standard for $30, build your own kit for $10-20 more... the main cost and the main "experimental control" is/are the blue wool "fade" cards (you get 3 in the $50 starter kit above) or you can get 10 for $42.50 or 50 for $205 or 100 cards for $310 from Talas http://nt.bnt.com/talas/menu.html?category=130 fascinating site incidentally lots of archival related materials and tests http://www.talas-nyc.com/ RATIONALE: Of course this is not as scientific as Wilhelm BUT if enough people did the tests (and carefully recorded their conditions) a significant database with averages, means, conditions, etc. could be assembled... more than Wilhelm could ever do in a lifetime and thats one way the social science works - - lots of data sets help to compensate for the lack of controls... both methods contribute It basically works out to $3.10 per test... A BUSINESS: there might even be a mini-business here for someone... (not me) Pay $50 - 100 per year for web access ( or contribute X data "certified" points for free access) Logon... Check that database... AhHa... OEM inks on egg coated paper in bora-bora 1 week.... ;-) AhHa... Lyson Fotonic inks on pancakes in North Dakota 2 weeks.... ;-) Thanks. Bob O sending from home. more later. FYI. The Physics of the Museum Environment http://www.natmus.min.dk/cons/tp/index.htm >From Northeast Document Conservation Center "Protection from light damage" http://www.nedcc.org/plam3/tleaf24.htm "The Care of Photographs" http://www.nedcc.org/phocar.htm - Please turn off HTML mail features. Keep quoted material short. Use accurate subject lines. http://www.leben.com/lists for instructions.
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