Laurent Lafolie - Photography laboratory and imaging workshop




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Laser engraving

The metal tube laser engraver is the
latest tool in the workshop for
engraving or marking images.

Laser engraving is an advanced technology used to engrave patterns or images on a wide variety of materials. It uses a concentrated laser beam to remove or modify the surface of a material. The intense heat of the laser vaporizes or burns away a thin layer of the media, creating a permanent etch.
With its metal/ceramic CO2 tube, this engraver lets you create engraving, marking and cutting projects from a variety of materials, including wood, acrylic, textiles, paper, glass, ceramics, metal...

Engraving, marking and cutting up to 60x90 cm

Laser marking on thick glass

Laser engraving on recycled cardboard

Laser engraving on fresh porcelain

Direct-To-Plate (DTP) engraving

Images engraved on photopolymer plates are made to be presented pigmented or
to be used for intaglio printing.

The engraving of photographic images on photopolymer plates is made with the DTP (Direct-To-Plate) process.
The pigmentation of an engraved plate is made by manually adding pigment with a brush or using a substrate.
Printing from the engraved plate is made using intaglio inks (Charbonnel, Cranfield, etc.) on papers dedicated to engraving, generally composed of natural fibers. Printing with oily inks is one of the most durable photographic printing techniques.

Engraved plates up to 79x103 cm

79x103 cm photopolymer plate manually pigmented after engraving
Hugo Deverchère

55x75 cm intaglio prints on 20 g washi.
Régis Guichard

Porcelain print The very high temperature porcelain print achieves a fusion of the image into the material.		The process for making prints with porcelain plates involves a succession of powder enamels. Depending on the enamels used, different colors and surface aspects can be obtained. The use of chromos (or decals) is another possibility offering more speed and precision, it also has the advantage of being able to produce color images. The firing temperature cannot however reach that of manually enameled plates. All formats up to 18x24 cm for manual enameling, 30x40 cm for chromos.

Porcelain prints 18x24 cm made by handmade successive enameling

Chromos (decals) 10x15 cm

Digital printing

The Epson printer's pigment colors provide long-lasting prints on a wide range of substrates.

Colour prints are carried out on a Epson SureColor SC-P8500D 44'' large format printer composed of pigment inks, of which one ink is grey and two are black (matte and glossy). This combination is excellent for obtaining digital negatives for historical processes such as platinum-palladium.

Matte, satin, glossy, smooth or textured paper, from 34 g/m2 to 1.2mm in weight, by Hahnemühle, Canson, Awagami Factory etc. up to 1.10m in width and 18m in length.

Printing on 170g Awagami bamboo paper, 140x87 cm
Enrique Carbó and Didier Sorbe

Epson SureColor SC-P8500D 44''

Types of paper for digital printing

Numerous types of paper specifically designed for inkjet printing are available at our workshop.
Other paper types, initially produced for other usages, may also be tested and printed on.

Rouleau de papier Awagami Mitsumata 118 cm 95g pour l’impression

Rouleau de papier Awagami Mitsumata 118 cm 95g pour l’impression

Roll of 118cm 95g Awagami Mitsumata paper for printing

Séparation du papier Awagami Kozo double couche

Separation of the double-layered Awagami Kozo paper

AWAGAMI FACTORY (Japanese paper)
Bamboo - Weight: 250g/m² - Bamboo fibers - Colour: Natural
Bamboo Awagami paper is made from very supple bamboo fibers that have a silky touch. Print rendering on it is characterized by a soft look. The paper’s thickness keeps it flat and gives it a luxurious appearance. Bamboo Awagami paper is coated on both sides, allowing for printing on both front and back.

Bizan - Weight: 200 et 300g/m² - Mulberry fibers - Colour: Natural
Bizan paper is entirely handmade through a traditional process. This luxury paper is generously thick and its four edges are fringed. Thanks to its rigidity and to these features, the images printed on this paper can be exhibited either in a box frame or without being framed.

Kozo - Weight: 40, 70 et 170g/m² - Single and double coating - Mulberry fibers - Colours: White and Natural
Kozo (“mulberry” in Japanese) paper is made from mulberry fibers from the Tokushima region. It is renowned for its resistance and longevity. This paper has a supple and solid appearance.

Inbe - Weight: 70, 125 et 160g/m² - Mulberry and hemp fibers - Colour: Natural
The Inbe paper is made from a mixture of mulberry and hemp fibers. While this makes the Inbe paper more resistant, it nevertheless remains a fine and soft type of material.

Mitsumata - Weight: 95g/m² - Mitsumata fibers paper pulp - Colour: Natural
Mitsumata fibre-paper is known for its warm tone and for its finesse. This smooth paper is made up of two layers that can be separated.

HAHNEMÜHLE
Photo Rag Ultra Smooth - Weight: 305g/m² - 100% cotton
A very fine and supple paper. Velvety with a slightly warm tone. Excellent rendering, just like other Hahnemühle papers.

Photo Rag Bright White - Weight: 310g/m² - 100% cotton
Similar to the Ultra Smooth but whiter.

Bamboo - Weight: 290g/m² - 90% bamboo fibers - 10% cotton
Similar to the previous paper, warm tone, strong, velvety, deep.

Rice paper - Weight: 100g/m² - 100% Alpha-Cellulose
Fine laid paper texture. It offers an excellent rendering of colour values for a paper of this weight.

CANSON
Infinity Baryta Photographique - Weight: 310 g/m²
This paper is designed for optimal longevity and is a real baryta paper developed for inkjet technology. It’s composed of an acid-free, pure white alpha cellulose base. This paper has the same barium sulphate coating as in traditional analogue photography and a microporous coating designed to receive pigment inks.

Infinity Platine Fibre Rag - Weight: 310 g/m²
This matte and textured paper is the digital alternative to a traditional baryta photo paper. It has the look and feel of a baryta paper combined with a pure white obtained without adding optical brighteners.

EPSON
Superior Mat Card, up to 76,2x101,6 cm - Weight: 850 et 1170 g/m² - Material: N/A
Epson Super Mat Card is a thick and rigid material (1.3mm), ideal for making presentation panels.

And so on...

Mounting, framing and finishing

The presentation and the protection of prints is an integral part of the printing process.

According to the type of paper, prints are pressed and then protected by polypropylene sleeves and/or thick card. Prints can be matted and then framed with a standard or invisible (ClearColor®) glass of up to 80 x 120 cm in size. The workshop also creates made-to-measure portfolios and artists’ books from numerous papers.

Large format prints are shipped either rolled up or between thick sheets of card. Prints are carefully packaged and are shipped with postage tracking and insurance.

Inkjet prints for an artist’s book
Sandrine Marc

Encadrement 60x70 cm bois teinté-ciré noir - Image Hiroshi Sugimoto (tirage hors atelier)

Framing, stained and waxed black wood, 60x70cm
Image by Hiroshi Sugimoto (print not made at workshop)

Laurent Lafolie - Atelier et laboratoire de photographie

12, rue Orbe
64270 Salies-de-Béarn - France

C +33 (0)6 32 22 51 11
email : lafolie.laurent@orange.fr

CREDITS & LEGAL TERMS