carlsweets

high maintenance

2014

This series reprocesses the ink that was never used and the print that never was. I have been collecting discarded epson ink cartridges, maintenance tanks, and nozzle checks since 2007, unable to part with vestiges of high-cost epson printer maintenance. Collecting the remaining ink from epson's 8 cartridges into individual containers, I use a HLVP (high velocity low pressure) sprayer to create test prints, color swatches, and hand made reproductions. I reuse maintenance tanks to make prints, literally squeezing the discarded ink from the cotton blotter. I collect nozzle checks to study mechanical reproduction. I evaluate my printer's efficiency with archived versions of epson's printer utilities, creating erroneous nozzle clogs and misalignments.

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_bottom_web1.jpg
squeeze top (tank#1)

archival epson inks, doubleweight matte
24" x 51.5"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_print_web1.jpg
squeeze bot (tank#1)

archival epson inks, doubleweight matte
24" x 51.5"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_02_top_web1.jpg
block top (tank#2)

archival epson inks, watercolor paper
30" x 22.5"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_02_bottom_web1.jpg
block bot (tank#2)

archival epson inks, watercolor paper
30" x 22.5"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_nozzle_checked_web1.jpg
the thing about nozzles...

archival ink jet print on ultrasmooth fine art paper
24" x 49"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_uni_platten_gap_web1_v2.jpg
unidirectional alignment #1

archival ink jet print
20" x 25"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_bi_align_web1.jpg
bidirectional alignment #1

archival ink jet print, epson (T6037) LK ink, watercolor paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_nozzle_check_web1.jpg
nozzle check

archival ink jet print, epson (T6037) LK ink, watercolor paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_C_web1.jpg
(T6032) C

epson ink, HVLP (high velocity low pressure) sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_LC_web1.jpg
(T6035) LC

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_M_web1.jpg
(T6023) M

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_LM_web1.jpg
(T6026) LM

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_Y_web1.jpg
(T6034) Y

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_K_web1.jpg
(T6021) K

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_LK_web1_v2.jpg
(T6037) LB

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_LLK_web1.jpg
(T6039) LLB

epson ink, HVLP sprayer, enhanced matte paper
14" x 11"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_ab_ink_web1.jpg
CMYKLCLMLKLLK

epson inks, HVLP sprayer, artist sketch board
28" x 36"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_LC_LM_web1.jpg
(T6035/T6036) LCLM clog

archival ink jet print
20" x 70"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_LK_web1.jpg
(T6027) LK clog

archival ink jet print
20" x 31.31"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_tank_web1.jpg
m-tank (tank#1)

epson inks, cotton
2.5" x 3.5" x 8"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_03__clog_LC_web1_v2.jpg
(T6035) LC clog

archival ink jet print
20" x 70"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_m_tank_chip_web1.jpg
(B145A) m-tank chip

epson maintenance tank electronic chip, paper, ink, plastic bag
3.75" x 5"
2014

 
https://carlsweets.com/files/gimgs/th-50_01_Y_web1_v2.jpg
(T6024) Y clog

archival ink jet print
20" x 50"
2014