Re: Liquid Emulsion - Air Bubbles

[Ryuji Suzuki <rs@silvergrain.org>]

From: Ritab19106@aol.com
Subject: Re: Liquid Emulsion - Air Bubbles
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:25:21 -0500 (EST)

> Thanks for your helpful reply about defoaming agents.  I did once try  heavy 
> cream and got some bad staining.

I think the pre-WWII AGFA formulae used stale milk or
something... Fresh one may cause fog... Although I would
rather use modern antifoaming agents anyway.

> One additional question I have concerns the matte/flat look
> of the emulsion when it dries.  I am using Kentmere
> emulsion, and don't know whether perhaps other brands have
> more sheen?  Or is there some method for adding some sheen
> to the prints?

Commercially manufactured glossy papers use much smoother
paper (sizing) surface and uses an overcoat layer of plain
binder (gelatin and additional polymer blends). Neither of
them is easy to do for hand coated material. You should size
the paper with well hardened gelatin, and that's as glossy as
you get.

While at Kremer Pigmente, pick up a small bottle of Primal
AC-35. Try to blend 1ml of this for every 4 grams of gelatin
used in sizing. Or 0.5 ml of this in every 20 ml of emulsion.
Either case, use glutaraldehyde or other effective gelatin
hardener together. This is a water soluble polyacrylate
polymer binder that enhances mechanical and optical properties
somewhat, when blended in gelatin in small quantity. Do not
use too much, as other kinds of problems will develop. Search
for my past postings here and elsewhere on this matter for
more details. With AC-35 in both sizing and emulsion, you wont
get glossy surface but more like fine lusture, especially on
hot pressed watercolor paper.