Drop Calculator

“Drop Calculator for Alternative Process Printing” is a handy tool for artists printing with the cyanotype, platinum/palladium, kallitype, or really ANY process where components of the light sensitive emulsion are measured in drops.

Simply enter the dimensions of the area to be printed, and “DropCalc” will show you the total number of drops you’ll need, as well as a break down of the number of drops for each part.

DropCalc allows the artist to customize the drop count, choose two or three part processes, create and save user presets, and choose between Metric or Imperial measurement systems.

Feature Details:

We understand that artists all tend to coat paper a little differently, and that drop counts will vary. In addition to different types of paper, the type of brush used varies substantially, with some artists even using a glass “puddle pusher”. We support these differences by allowing the artist to change an “adjustment factor”, which influences the drop count calculated by the app. If you find that you need MORE emulsion to cover a given area, adjust the slider towards the right, and for less emulsion, adjust it towards the left. Note: This setting can be saved for future use with a user preset.

Some processes may require more than two parts. For example, some of the platinum/palladium processes use a contrast agent. Typically this third component is a constant number of drops, regardless of print size. To support this, we allow for a third part that is always a set number of drops. This feature could also be used by those that like to add a bit of “tween twenty” to the emulsion. Note: This setting can be saved for future use with a user preset.

Many artists will want to work in multiple process, or perhaps they simply like to use a variety of paper types. Either way, it’s likely that they will want different settings for different occasions. This is where the artist presets come in handy. Create a preset for each paper type, each different process, or both!

DropCalc allows the artist to work with a measurement system that is the most comfortable for them. The “settings” page allows the artist to select between Metric and Imperial (U.S.) measurement systems.