Bureau
Precision Matrix Production, Digital-to-Analogue Translation & Fine Art Editioning
Atelier Bureau operates as an integrated production facility bridging digital capture, darkroom chemistry, and traditional 19th-century workshop discipline. Led by Master Printer David Borrington MA RCA, we provide high-resolution artwork digitisation, film scanning up to 4×5 inch, A2 archival pigment printing, specialist matrix making including photographic litho, continuous-tone photopolymer, and hand-bitten copper and contract editioning pulled on historic cast-iron presses.
Digitisation & Matrix Production
- Artwork Capture & 4×5 Film Scanning: Calibrated high-resolution digital reprography of physical artwork, alongside precision film scanning across 35mm, 120 medium format, and sheet film negatives and positives up to 4×5 inch.
- Archival Pigment Printing (Up to A2): Wide-gamut fine art pigment printing on museum-grade cotton rag papers, alongside custom tonal-curve film positive production for exposure matrices.
- Photographic & Stone Lithography: High-resolution positive photographic litho plate preparation alongside hand-grained Bavarian limestone matrices chemically processed with nitric acid and gum arabic.
- Continuous-Tone Photopolymer Intaglio: Steel-backed photopolymer plates exposed with calibrated stochastic/aquatint screens to hold velvety shadow blacks and continuous tone.
- Traditional Copper & Zinc Etching: Hand-bevelled, polished metal matrices prepared with traditional hard ground, soft ground, and heated rosin-box aquatint for controlled acid biting.
- Specialist Photographic Transfers: Emulsion and gelatin-based drawing transfers bridging digital files with physical printmaking substrates
Contract Editioning & Studio Services
- Hand-Inked Intaglio Printing: Editions hand-inked, wiped (scrim and hand), and pulled on our historic French rolling press using bespoke oil-based inks and traditional plate oils.
- Lithographic & Relief Presswork: Slow, precise editioning across stone lithography, photo-litho plates, and relief blocks on our 1890 Albion platen press.
- Collaborative Proofing: Unhurried trial proofs (T/P) and artist proofs (A/P) pulled directly with artists and estates to calibrate wiping tone, bite depth, and plate tooth.
- Archival Papers & Custom Inks: Hand-printed exclusively on mould-made cotton rag substrates (Somerset, Fabriano, BFK Rives) with custom pigment mixing and linseed oil varnishes.
- Studio Chop & Documentation: Master printer blind-embossed studio chop, authentication documentation, and archival tissue interleaving.