Picture Disc
A picture disc ( Engl. , Slice ') is a special form of the record , a picture is incorporated on the surface at the opposite of the usual black color. The first picture discs appeared in the late 1960s as a further development of colored and transparent records. Picture discs are still produced in small numbers to this day.
Manufacturing
Picture discs are manufactured by placing an adhesive film on the stamper for side A (lower side) in the press , then the paper image for side A. The 150 ° C warm mass is placed on top of this, with the image for side B with the adhesive film as well as the stamper B (the stamper are an integral part of the press machine). Then everything is pressed and the crushed edge is cut off from the finished record. Only the pressing is automatic, all other steps must be carried out manually. A picture disc needs at least one minute to produce, which means that a maximum of 60 pieces (rather less) can be produced per hour.
In addition to the usual black, colored plastic is often used for these plates to support the effect. The images used range from mere images of the album cover to optical illusions that are supposed to result from the rotation of the record on the turntable . The 1979 album The Worker by the English group Fischer-Z , for example, shows a picture of a train on a circular track that is constantly going in circles when the record is played.
Despite the fact that picture discs usually have a lower sound quality than conventional records due to the complex manufacturing process and the materials used, they are very popular with collectors . On the one hand, they often represent a great graphic and artistic achievement, on the other hand, Picture Discs usually appear in a much smaller edition than the usual pressings made of black polyvinyl chloride .