A Few Details About the Second Ctein Dye Transfer Sale

I mentioned last week that we're getting set for the second Ctein dye transfer print sale. Last time, the demand was so high that Ctein was overwhelmed and overworked; this time he's limiting the number of prints. There will be fewer than half as many prints available, so both Ctein and I are anxious that everything go as smoothly (and as fairly!) as possible.

Down to brass tacks and hard detes: the public sale will start on Thursday, January 21st, at 8 a.m. Central (U.S.) Time. It will be announced here with a link to the order page at that time. It will proceed for either two weeks or until the prints sell out, whichever comes first.

There are three photographs offered this time, all three taken in the Hawaiian Islands. Image area is approximately 8x10" with a generous white border. Ctein will sign every print on the front, outside the image area. There will be a nice page set up where you'll be able to examine large JPEGs in detail.

Ctein will be offering only 125 prints of each photograph during the sale. The first print is $150, the second $130, and the third $110. Obviously, as soon as one print sells out, you will no longer be able to get the third-print price, and as soon as two sell out, you won't be able to get the second print price.

(And as soon as all three sell out, you won't be able to get the first print price. Bah-dum-pah. Seriously, do note that we have no idea how fast or slow the sale will go—there are no guarantees as to how long the offer will stay open. Could be two weeks, could be two days. We just don't know.)

New this go-round: you won't have to use PayPal if you prefer not to. Also, because Ctein has already done a good deal of the printing in advance, the first prints ordered will ship within a week and the very last within 30 days of ordering.

TOP (i.e., moi) gets a modest "gallery fee," so print sales also help keep TOP spinning.

Set your alarm for THURSDAY!

Mike

P.S. As to "why buy a dye," see the 2008 sale notice, in which I describe the significance of dye transfer prints. As for what a dye is, see Ctein's article, "Still Crazy (and Making Dye Transfer Prints) After All These Years," from October 2008. You can also purchase and download a video from The Luminous-Landscape Video Journal of Ctein demonstrating the making of a dye transfer print.

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Featured Comment by Geoff Wittig: "The Luminous-Landscape video of Ctein making a dye-transfer print is well worth watching for those who are even remotely interested in this printing medium. Trying to comprehend the process from a written description can be a bit of a head-scratcher, but it all makes sense after seeing it happen on the screen. Soaking the matrices in dye baths, sequentially pin-registering and rolling them out onto the receiving paper...and that's after all the work of exposing and developing the matrices in the first place. Makes me even happier with Photoshop and my inkjet printer. I got sucked in after seeing an exhibit at George Eastman House that included dye-transfer prints by Nickolas Muray. These were 1930s celebrity portraits and advertising prints whose subject matter held no interest for me, but they were just spectactular from an æsthetic standpoint. The color purity and dynamic range are hard to describe without seeing them firsthand."

Comments

[Craig]

Any ideas on the P&P on the prints to USA, Canada International etc.

Thanks

[Mike Johnston]

Craig,
Shipping is free to the U.S., $10 to Canada, and $30 to the rest of the world. That's per order, not per print.

Mike

[Michel]

I have yet to frame my dye transfer print from the previous sale, but I am thrilled to own a piece of history (I have the tri-colour fern). Can't wait to see what the upcoming image choices are.

[Elwood (Woody) Spedden]

Mike

I am super interested in having one of Ctein's prints.

I spent quite a bit of time with Charlie Cramer in his printing class and just reveled in his accomplishments with dye transfer images. As you are well aware, Charlie was one of the last of the dye transfer artists (yes there was artistry in the making of the prints as well as the creation of the images.)

So please, if it is possible allow me to purchase one of Ctein's dye transfer prints. It will occupy a place of reverence in our home.

We will separately provide TOP with a stipend to continue this type of work. God bless you for your brilliant efforts

Best

Woody Spedden

[Mike Johnston]

Woody,
Just check back here next Thursday at 8 a.m. Central Time. We'll have the print choices and several options for how to buy one, two, or all three prints. If you really want one, just don't dawdle, because last time one of the two prints sold more than 100 copies in less than 24 hours. This time there ARE only 125 prints of each photograph, so the one you want might sell out pretty fast.

And don't forget you can always buy a big dye transfer direct from Ctein for the regular price of $1100. (Small ones like the ones in the sale go for $400 normally.)

Mike

P.S. No extra stipend needed! Print sales do benefit TOP too. Thanks, though.

[Ken Tanaka]

I strongly second Geoff (and Mike's) recommendation to watch Michael Reichmann's Luminous Landscape Video Journal feature on Ctein and his dye transfer process. (I had forgotten that I had this video from 2004, so thanks for reminding me. ) Even if you're not really interested in this print offer it's completely hypnotic to watch Ctein explain this intricate printing process...which he does extremely well. And, of course, it's always fun to have a human impression behind such a frequent contributor and commenter here.

So, hey, it's only $10 to download (if you don't already own this LuLa video). Plus, there's plenty of other good stuff in this early LLVJ issue. Ya got something better to watch on a gloomy winter day?

[John Yoong]

Dear Mike And Ctein,

Thanks for doing another run of dye transfer. I missed the previous one and I am SUPER interested. However, two problems, I am from Malaysia and there's the time zone difference meaning by the time I log on, the print may be sold-out and secondly, what other options for payment as I am not really keen on PayPal (previous bad experience).

Regards,
John Yoong

[Mike Johnston]

John,
I believe Malaysia is 14 hours ahead of USA Central Time (if I'm reading the charts right), which would mean that the sale starts at 10 p.m. Thursday your time. (Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong!) If you just log on at that time, you'll have the same chance everyone else does to order.

The payment options and instructions will be included in the announcement and on the order page.

Mike