The first two examples are of halftone dots blown up to huge proportions. But basically, yes, a screen was used to photograph a continuous-tone image and prepare it for the printing process. Whereas the term raster has to do with imaging on a video screen or computer monitor.

In the third example, perhaps there was some work done by hand.

Here’s what I used at my first job... an Agfa Gevaert Repromaster Vertical Camera!

I was looking through an old issue of Graphis Issue No. 92, and there was an old advertisement that offered services for ’Spezial-Raster’ of images (German Company). They offer various catagories you could have it at, such as ’40er Spezial-Raster’ & ’20er Spezial-Raster’. What does this mean, and is there any other process of doing it without that insane machine :O.

Also, why is the online software program called The Rasterbator if you still get kinda the same effects as the images attached?

Thanks Ricardo. I appreciate talking to people who used the archaic machinery, really fascinating!

Play around with 2 things in Photoshop:

The Half Tone filter

Printing with a wacked out screen - in the print dialogue you can specify a screen - try this for starters: 35lpi with 45 degree lines - I’ve used different screens a lot, printed them and then resampled with a scanner. It’s not going to go through a good RIP this way but works on most lasers that have Postcript - haven’t tried it on an ink jet but now that I’m thinking about it I probably will.

pbc

Thanks Paul, I will try messing around with that.

82 degree lines were recommended to me when i was designing a shirt to screen over the weekend
but i suppose its all up to what you’re looking to have as an end result

i was happy with it

Also, why is the online software program called The Rasterbator if you still get kinda the same effects as the images attached?

Hi, Wesley. I wasn’t clear, sorry: the effects of both processes are indeed the same, or sufficiently similar. I was just splitting hairs to point out the different origins and uses of both methods: one from the print world, the other from the television/onscreen world.

Not sure what the ads from the German company are for, or if they used the term “raster” for both print and screen.

Neat fact I found out last night: “raster” comes from the Latin word rastrum, which means “rake,” as in: “Screen images are made up of a pattern of several hundred parallel lines created by an electron beam ’raking’ the screen from top to bottom at a speed of about one sixtieth of a second.” (from The Mac Designer’s Handbook, 1992 edition, by Alastair Campbell.)

Take a greyscale image in photoshop and convert to bitmap. Specify custom halftone and you can choose the dot/line etc and rate. Start with an upsampled 1200 dpi image and you will get good results.

Used to be done on a stat camera as mentioned. You would lay a screen over your 100% image and impose the dot.

The third image (the sheep) was likely created using pattern sheets (Zipatone, Letraset, etc.). The sheets were adhesive-backed translucent film with halftone patterns printed on them in various sizes. They were used by illustrators and comic book artists a lot. You could cut out shapes with an X-acto knife and burnish it onto the art board, for instance. In the sheep illustration, it appears that several pattern sheets were overlaid at slightly different angles to get a moiré effect and shading.

You might also find these PhotoShop Filters of interest:

http://www.andromeda.com/main/cutline.php

http://www.andromeda.com/main/screens.php

http://www.andromeda.com/main/etchtone.php

They all duplicate effects we used to do with a stat camera and dot screens and line screens etc.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I will be doing some experimentation : )....

Great to hear all the old processes; it gives me a deeper appreciation of how design has evolved.