U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: dark gums

Re: dark gums



After I left the studio last night I realized that I had not specified that
the Fabriano Artistico I would recommend is the hot rolled version since it
is the smoothest.

Jack

> From: Jack Brubaker <jack@jackbrubaker.com>
> Reply-To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
> Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:54:56 -0500
> To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
> Subject: Re: dark gums
> 
> Ilana,
> 
> There is no problem getting dark tones with gum. Most printers use multiple
> layers to build up pigment, but not all. Having just looked at gum prints by
> the masters from the early 1900s it was clear that they were consistently
> printing two layers (perhaps more). Often a gray layer with an exposure long
> enough to print all the light tones followed by a black layer to complete
> the dark tones (with a shorter exposure). Gum prints a short scale so you
> want a fairly thin negative. The old advice is that you should be able to
> read through the negative. Try printing on the front of Fabriano Artistico
> without size. It is the easiest way to start. If you want to try for more
> texture in the print (like a charcoal drawing) use the back side of the same
> paper. If you want a smoother gradation of tone you will need to size the
> paper. Remember to shrink the paper in a water soak for 20 minutes or so and
> hang to dry before printing or your layers will not align since the paper
> will have shrunk after the first layer development.
> 
> Jack
> 
>> From: ilana <ilanamahala@adelphia.net>
>> Reply-To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>> Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 09:51:44 -0500
>> To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>> Subject: dark gums
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> I am relatively new to gum printing. My goal is to make dark [brown, black,
>> deep blue] monochromatic gum prints. [Some may suggest I use a different
>> process, I realize that]. I'm looking for advice/support [if this had been
>> talked about in another thread, please direct me] on preparing the
>> negatives--in terms of density, contrast and the ink/gum combo to get
>> richness and detail. I know it is a matter of testing things but I thought
>> any extra advice I could get would be useful.
>> 
>> Thank you,
>> ilana swerdlin
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 


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