Re: Single coat gums
Hi Katharine
The instructions are as printed from the magazine, even spelling colour as
color ;) I'd like to read the Zimmerman recipe in full if anyone has it.
I'll try and get some scans up on my web space for all to see in a day or
so. I don't want to damage the magazine as it's perfect bound though. Most
of the images, actually all the portraits look quite dark but I think this
is intentional indoor lighting on behalf of the photographer. There is one
landscape pic that shows a nice range of tones. I'm not sure the development
is totally 'automatic' either, there are halos, but not OTT. It's not a
method I've tried but I do like the idea, so time permitting, and I do use
the potassium salt, I will give it a whirl.
I'll give it a pop with sized and unsized FAEW in a week or so, but I like
the idea of mixing a pigment/gum for the deepest shadows. That makes life
easier. If it works of course with the Bristol (UK) water/humidity/time of
day-year &c..........
J
www.johnbrewerphotography.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Katharine Thayer" <kthayer@pacifier.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: Single coat gums
Hmm, this is interesting; I wish we could see the illustrations. If I'm
reading the instructions correctly, the intent here isn't to use a very
heavy pigment mix, as I thought it was with Zimmerman. These authors
emphasize that beginners often overestimate how much pigment is needed,
and that "In working with gum prints, one is more and more surprised at
the small amount of pigment required to make a strong print." So I don't
get the idea that they are advocating making a very pigment-heavy mix,
but I could be wrong.
I remember studying the Zimmerman article on the B&S website, but I don't
remember whether I ever tried it. However, I did try the method
mentioned in the Demachy and what's his name article that, like the
article John has quoted here (thanks!) called for soaking the paper in
potassium dichromate (10% in their case) and drying it, and then brushing
it with a heavy mix of gum and pigment. My experiment with this was not
a success; there are a couple of examples on this page, along with the
same negative printed the normal way.
http://www.pacifier.com/~kthayer/html/Demachy.html
When I reported my failure to the list, someone suggested that I might
have better luck if I would try sizing with gelatin and cornstarch, so I
tried that (included on the page) but that didn't work any better. The
main problems I had were (1) the heavy gum/ pigment mix tended to flake
off, and (2) a very heavy brown dichromate stain. The dichromate stain
could of course be cleared, but since I could get a better print without
the dichromate stain printing my usual way, I wasn't tempted to pursue
the method further.
Katharine
On May 19, 2007, at 1:00 PM, john@johnbrewerphotography.com wrote:
Hey Don and other gummists
While I don't have Mr Z's recipe I've found in the September 1921 issue
of Camera Craft part two of an article called The Gum Process In
Portraiture by Prof Daniel Cook with illustrations by Nancy Ford Cones.
The recipe implies to me that it is a single coat process and I quite
like the illustrations. Here's the recipe:
'The first step is to select a paper that has enough body to remain on
the surface of the solutions. A paper that becomes saturated and sinks
to the bottom of the tray is difficult very to handle, but the heavy
grade of Whatman, and some imported papers, particularly the French
charcoal, are very satisfactory. The next step is to prepare a solution
of gum Arabic, 1 oz. to 3 ozs. of cold water, by placing in a muslin bag
and suspending in a wide-mouth jar so the gum will be partly submerged.
This solution will require about 30 hours to dissolve, and will be about
the consistency of strained honey.
Next, a saturated solution of bichromate potassium is made, and is kept
in a dark colored bottle, as this solution is sensitive to light. The
paper is soaked in this solution until thoroughly limp, and then hung up
to dry in a dark room. For the pigment, any dry color will do for a
trial, black being easiest to work with. If moist water color is used,
one should be sure that is has no oil, such as glycerine. Pigment is now
gradually worked into the gum solution with a spatula until the proper
amount of color is obtained. This will be the depth of the darkest
shadows, a very interesting point.
A smooth board is next padded with several thicknesses of newspaper,a
sheet of the sensitized paper is pinned on it, and with a bristle
brush - about two inches is a good size - the color is quickly painted
on the paper. One should try to cover the surface evenly at the first
application, so that there will be no overlapping streaks, then one
should immediately blend each way with a badger blender. When dry, the
sheet is ready to print.
About the same exposure in bright sunlight is needed as required to
print solio proof deep. In a tray with plenty of cold water, it is
better to have it two or three inches deep, the exposed sheet is floated
face down in the water, and as the bichromate dissolves out, the print
is lifted carefully by one corner and allowed to drain for a few seconds
so it will not stain. if the print has been properly timed, the outline
should appear quite distinctly in about five or ten minutes. The paper
should be left in the water until the image is fully developed. The time
is usually from fifteen minutes to half an hour, although it is not
absolutely necessary for the print to develop in such a short time. If
it is over- exposed, the development can extend into hours and still make
a good print, though of different quality. When dry, the print is more
permanent than can be obtained by any other process.
The chief mistake with beginners is usually in coating the paper too
heavily. In working with gum prints, one is more and more surprised at
the small amount of pigment required to make a strong print. By practice
one will be able to coat the paper to suit the negative. A very thin
coating is required for a contrasty negative, while a flat, thin
negative must have a heavier coating which will make a better balanced
print."
Best
John.
www.johnbrewerphotography.com
----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Bryant" <dsbryant@bellsouth.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 12:46 AM
Subject: RE: Single coat gums
Hi Dick,
Any chance you guys can get the Zimmerman JPEG file back up on the B&S
web
site? The current link is dead.
Thanks,
Don Bryant
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Sullivan [mailto:richsul@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 7:38 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: RE: Single coat gums
Talk about dredging up the past!
I had forgotten even doing that.
Now that I have worked with carbon for a few years I can see where
Zimmerman
was coming from.
I think his process is similar to what we think the direct carbon
process
was, and in specifics, the Arvel process. Christian Nze sent me a
translation of a formula for direct carbon a few years ago. Basically
it was
a very thin tissue with very little gelatin and lots of pigment. Sounds
a
lot like Z's method. I am not sure what the working model is for this
just
yet. Like Jack Benny, I'm thinkin.
--Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Don Bryant [mailto:dsbryant@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 1:02 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: RE: Single coat gums
Hi John,
Thanks for the link but I was aware of his post. There once was a copy
of a
file outlining the method on the B&S website, but it is gone now.
When the old B&S alt forum was still active I did see one individuals
scans
of prints using this method. Very nice work, moody images printed with
a
mixture of Paynes Grey and Ivory Black originally shot on Kodak HIE.
Thai person used the blotter technique and swore by it. His results
seemed
to support his claims. Unfortunately that is the only instance I'm
aware of.
Can blotter paper still be purchased?
Thanks,
Don
-----Original Message-----
From: john@johnbrewerphotography.com
[mailto:john@johnbrewerphotography.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 2:42 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: Re: Single coat gums
Hi Don
Dick Sullivan made a successful print,
http://www.usask.ca/lists/alt-photo-process/1998/alt98b/1875.html
Cheers
John
www.johnbrewerphotography.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Bryant" <dsbryant@bellsouth.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 4:50 PM
Subject: Single coat gums
Okay, I have a question regarding single coat gum printing techniques.
Has anyone ever tried the Zimmerman method for single coat gum
printing?
I've always been intrigued by the idea and wondered if it really
worked.
I suppose I could try and find out but never the less I'm curious to
hear of anyone else's experience.
Thanks,
Don Bryant
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