RE: Tri-Curious Seeks Other Tri-Quad Curious Gummists
Michael, Yeah, I saw your question too. But when I saw you mentioned something called a "GretagMacbeth print proofing system" I got totally scared off. It is far easier than you would think to balance the color pigments in a gum print, but it depends upon what you are looking for. My first gum prints were made at about the same time that inkjet prints were beginning to be taken seriously as art. When, after the sixth or so gallery owner asked me what kind of printer I was using for my "giclee" prints, I realized something was SERIOUSLY wrong! For why should I pulling out my hair trying to register and print tri or quad color gum prints, if they were to be assumed to be printed on an Epson? (BTW, the negatives WERE produced on an Epson). So I started changing the color palette and making my gum prints messier, etc. But the point is, it was (and is) very easy to obtain a perfectly balanced natural gum print that will rival an out-of-camera C41 or inkjet for color-accuracy just by using your basic cyan, quinacridone red and most any yellow. And I assure you I did not use any color proofing system, AND it was possible to do by putting down just one coat each. Looking at those pictures now, they look pretty darn boring. Keith -----Original Message----- From: Michael Koch-Schulte [mailto:mkochsch@shaw.ca] Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2007 8:25 PM To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: Tri-Curious Seeks Other Tri-Quad Curious Gummists I had posted something (God, was it the match the lit the field?) about a week or so ago about working in colour gum (Bi, Duo, Tri, Quad, Tetra, Hexa or Septa ...for that matter, all fine by me). OK, maybe my phasing was a little scientific (or vague or dopey) to suggest one could physically quantify a multi-colour palette of gum. But I'm pretty new to the sport. I'm no expert -- but that's why I'm here. There's very little in the archives that discusses the topic. I thought the question was on topic for the list. No one seemed interested in discussing the idea of current or past methods of "balancing" a gum print. People were too busy discussing more pressing issues (read: "The End of Forte" "Dan and Jill's Moving Sale" and "Digital Noise Reduction" NOT that there's anything wrong with THAT...:^) there were marked OT...ah mostly). But I was looking for a little mentoring, a little TLC even a swifted kick in the pants in the right direction would have been appreciated. I got the cold-shoulder. What a difference a day makes though. I'm over it. I know, we can't all be on the same page at the same time. (Save for one person who contacted me off-list -- and she knows who she is.) What's my point? I'll the ask the question again: does anyone have a method or workflow for "balancing" colour gum work? Or do they bother? Success stories or failures (usually the more interesting of the two). I'd like to hear them. ~m
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