GRAPHIC ATLAS. It is a resource developed by the Image Permanence Institute (IPI) that helps to identify, analyze and compare different image prints, from engraves techniques to digital prints, through a wide range of photomechanical and photographic processes.   

The highlights: 

  • For each process there exist different views that help to identify and understand its morphology. The views are: the front, the back, the surface (0º, 45º, 90º) and the edge.
  • Contextual historical information is provided for each material, and there is an explanation for each technology.
  • It is a very useful resource to better understand our photos and, consequently, to take appropriate decisions for its conservation.  
  • It allows us to exercise ourselves in the practice of photographic processes identification without having the original collection.
  • The reproductions in the resource are of high quality and the information is comprehensive and concise.  
  • It is an extraordinary resource available to everyone and even if it is not already finished, it has already a great potential for archivists, curators, conservators and the general public.

The Image Permanence Institute (IPI) is an academical institute from the Rochester Institute of Technology which aims to research and training in preservation of photography. Its website it is a must-see place for all heritage institutions with responsibility for photographic collections and films. 

Link to Graphic Atlas