Re: dark gums

[Katharine Thayer <kthayer@pacifier.com>]

On Jan 23, 2007, at 6:05 PM, ilana wrote:

>
However, before reading your
> email my plan for tomorrow was to separate the image into 3 negs-- 
> RGB--but
> print them all black. But after reading your advice on controlling  
> exposure
> and pigment I think I can print one negative with a full range and  
> get what
> I want with multiple layers. In fact, I'm realizing that that is  
> the only
> way to go, and that is a benefit of printing with gum.
Actually, either way works fine, but I think I prefer the RGB  
approach when I have the image on color film; I like the way it  
separates the tones out.  (Something you'll learn about gum as you go  
along: there's no such thing as "the only way to go" when it comes to  
gum.)

> One question though, with the multiple printing/adding pigment, can  
> I have
> my sensitize solution [gum, pigment and dichromate] mixed and then add
> pigment to it? [what length of time--if any--will the light sensitive
> mixture last?] Or do I need to add pigment to the gum each time,  
> and then
> mix it with the dichromate?
You can premix the gum and the pigment, but the dichromate must be  
added fresh each time; the light sensitive mixture is good for only  
for a printing session.  I've had a mix last for five or six hours,  
but you shouldn't count even on that.

Katharine