U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: gum "curves"

Re: gum "curves"



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