A curve could be described as the representation of all the tones in an image, from highlights to shadows. Photoshop and Gimp curves are a great tool for creating a balanced digital negative. They help you control the tonal values and contrast of an image or a digital negative. Download ready-made curves here – or upload yours to share with others.
Send us yours! Email talk (at) alternativephotography.com
You can of course adjust the curves to adjust them depending on how you manipulated your photograph or which paper you will be printing it on. All the same, they are a good starting point.
If you have problems downloading the curves:
- On a PC: Right-click with the mouse on the link and select “Save Target As”
- On a mac: Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the link. Select “Download Link to Disk”.
- Browser problems: If you get a lot of funny signs, like these: ������&� when you try to download a curve, it may be a browser problem. Try another browser.
Specific about Gimp curves: If you are using Gimp your curves need to be put in /.gimp-2.*/curves/ under your home directory.
Input valuesOutput valuesThe cuprotype / salt print curve
Cuprotype curve & Salted paper printing curve.Added March 2023 by Frank Gorga Download cuprotype / saltprint curve Cuprotype.acv here. |
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| Input values 0 13 27 38 51 64 89 115 140 166 191 204 217 229 242 255 |
Output values 0 15 21 24 29 33 40 48 61 81 110 132 169 204 230 255 |
This curve is essentially the same as described for salt printing in Christina Z. Anderson’s book Salted Paper Printing. A Step-By-Step Manual Highlighting Contemporary Artists‘ |
| A Cuprotype by Frank Gorga made using the Cuprotype / Saltprint curve (the print is also toned) | ||
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Download curves for cyanotype negatives in Photoshop and GimpThese curves are from 2010 and may no longer work, if you have the time, do try and please give us feedback. |
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Cyanotype negative curve |
Cyanotype made using the curve |
Cyanotype curveby Jim. |
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Download gumprint curve for Photoshop |
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Gumprint curve |
Gumprint made using the curve |
Gumprint curveby David Hatton. |
Note from David: The curve is applied before inversion to a negative and the image should be RGB. When printing these negatives the overall density of the ink laid down can be increased, whilst keeping the densities relative to each other, by using the photoshop ‘Apply Image’ function set to multiply. This gives better exposure control for me as I use the Sun as my lightsource. Numerical values: INPUT – OUTPUT |
Download photopolymer curve for Photoshop |
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Photopolymer curve |
Photopolymer made using the curve: |
Photopolymer curveby Jim. Click here to download the curve for Photoshop Read Jim’s article on Photopolymers. The curve should look like this: |
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Download platinum curves for Photoshop and Gimp |
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Platinum print curve |
Version 2 of a platinum print curve |
Platinum print curveClick here to download the curve for Photoshop Click here to download the curve for Gimp The curve should look like this: |
Platinum print curve version 2Click here to download the curve for Photoshop Click here to download the curve for Gimp The curve should look like this: |
Download ratio curve for Photoshop |
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Curve for a variety of processes |
Image made using the curve |
Ratio CurveBy Clay Harmon – works for both Platium, Albumen and Saltprints. Click here to download the curve for Photoshop The curve should look like this: |
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Download vandyke curves for Photoshop and Gimp |
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Vandyke curve |
Vandyke print made using the curve |
Vandyke curveby Grace Taylor. Click here to download the curve for Photoshop Click here to download the curve for Gimp The curve should look like this: |
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Vandyke curveby Jim. Click here to download the curve for Photoshop Click here to download the curve for Gimp The curve should look like this: |
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How to import a curve in Photoshop and apply to digital negatives
Importing a curve is easy. Just load the curves menu.
Then press “Load”:
Select the right curve:
That’s it!
How to save your curves in Photoshop
You can adjust the curves or create your own by pulling the centre or one of the handles at the end:
When you are happy with the settings you have and want to use it for another photograph, just save the settings:
That’s it! Now you can reuse it next time you want to make a negative.
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Chris! Not actually sure, don’t use lightroom. If you find out how, let us know and we’ll update the article.
How does one import a curve to Lightroom?
Good question. I would do it after.
Are these curves to be applied before or after converting to a negative?
Thank you, Jim! I’ve begun to make cyanotypes regularly. Those curves work! Even it’s a placebo effect, I’m thrilled to add this extra digital seasoning to my work.
I am trying to download the cyanotype curve on my macbook air but it won’t download. I click on ‘download the curve for photoshop’ holding down the ctrl key and there is no option to ‘download linked file to disc’, just ‘download linked file’. Photoshop doesn’t recognise the file. Any ideas? Thanks.
I have done some Gum printing, and in my experience, if you apply the curve to the image before inverting the image into a negative, you will be decreasing the destiny of the negative which you don’t want to do because it will make it harder to print. While the curve makes the image/photo darker, it will make those now darker areas lighter when you convert to a negative. This makes the negative thinner and harder to print with a wide tonal range. My method is to make any image adjustments then do the color separation, and then apply the curve to each color channels negative for the gum method to adjust the contrast profile to performance characteristic of the method. This should help to increase the possible tone range of your prints.
Does any one know of any starting GIMP curves for albumen?
Is there a curve for collision tin types? Although the digital negative would be a positive.
Would either of the two Platinum curves shown here be a good starting point for Pt/Pd? If so, which one? Thank you.
Who authored the Platinum curves that are just below Photopolymer curve? It is unsugned in contrast to all other curves that here…
I could not find any curves for carbon gelatin transfer prints. it seems no one has these curves.
I’m having problems with the Van Dyke curves. I downloaded them however they do not download as a file I can use. They download with a printer icon instead. It downloads as an atf file and then when I try to load the file it closes my PS down. I’m working off PS6
I also do not have the same screen load options as shown above.
Could you help me with getting the correct Van Dyke curve.
Thanks
Shelia Maciorowski
can some one please put a curve for a carbon transffer
Any recommendations for a tintype curve?
@admin – the gum curve specifically says to apply it BEFORE inverting to a negative but the rest do not. So was your answer to Christian saying that all of the curves are set up to be applied to the image before inversion or just the gum curve?
Thank you.
@Christian. You apply the curves to the image, then turn it into a neg, and print it out on transparency.
Do you apply the curve to the image or the neg?
Thanks – christian
Thanks Ry. I’m on a Mac so was able to load curve as per your instructions….
@Susan In Photoshop CS4 you can add the ACV file into a presets folder. I managed to do this on a Mac by adding a curve file to this folder:
Applications > Adobe Photoshop CS4 > Presets > Curves
I’m guessing you could probably do something similar on a Windows machine by going to “Program Files” and looking for a similar folder.
Once you restart Photoshop, the curve should appear in the dropdown list at the top of the curves dialog.
@Susan… not actually sure. Let me know what you find out, and I’ll see if it’s possible to convert them to CS4…
I downloaded the David Hatton gumprint curve but can’t seem to load it into photoshop CS4. In fact the curve dialog box does not have a load button on it. Don’t know if this is a CS4 thing or what. If I had the input and output points on the curve I could do it manually I think. Suggestions?….
Thanks
Susan
I agree, but the curves are meant to be a starting point, not a definite guide. If you have never used curves, it’s a hint of what may be right.
please don’t encourage people to use canned curves. Each image and process deserves its own care. No curve works for two different images equally well. Using curves is all about understanding the tones in the image, and making a curve that places the tones where you want for the final print. It’s not about using one curve per process!