Re: gum "curves"

[Sandy King <sanking@clemson.edu>]

For quality work in kallitype, VDB, Pt./Pd. and carbon the curve 
approach is pretty much essential IMO, so I will just keeping working 
that way, whatever others may say or do. There is no question but 
that for these processes a well designed curved gives superior 
results. Even in carbon, where there is considerable flexibility 
during development, as in gum, a good curve gives superior results.

For gum, I will defer to the experience of those who have worked with 
curves, and without curves. If anyone believes curves would not 
improve the quality of their work, I am inclined to agree with them. 
Question is, have these folks bothered to actually compare the 
quality of their own work with that of someone else who uses the 
curve approach? Some folks are perfectly happy with work that others 
would consider below par. There was someone on the list a few months 
ago who went on and on about how curves were not necessary (no names, 
please), but I have seen this person's work, and as far as I am 
concerned it barely rises above the level of pure crap. But to each 
his own.

Sandy King





> If people like the curves approach, be my guest. .  just don't 
> expect me to follow suit,  when there's no evidence that this is a 
> superior approach in some objective sense that demonstrates its 
> superiority in superior prints, and so far no evidence from my own 
> observations that  this approach would improve my own prints in any 
> way, or make them more consistent or my process more reliable than 
> they already are.
>
> Katharine