Re: Single coat gums - links to the images
Hi Judy
I'm visualizing the repro in a 1921 Camera Craft... and think maybe we
could take any tones seen there as poetic license... I mean, aside from
the bad reproduction, was the fact that the contrast was probably goosed
up for repro. Which is not to say the print itself couldn't have been
terrific, just that I suspect the printed page isn't much of a guide.
I'm sure you're right with the way the images were altered for reproduction
so I've included a silver gelatine image (control.jpg) if that gives a guide
to the general quality of the reproduction used in Camera Craft. Personally
I think it's quite high, printed on a glossy paper throughout. Hehe, I've
seen worse reproduction in magazines in the last 20 years.
Anyway, here are the images, they are exactly the same size as in Camera
Craft and haven't been altered in anyway:
http://johnbrewerphotography.com/storage/gum/control.jpg
http://johnbrewerphotography.com/storage/gum/gum1.jpg
http://johnbrewerphotography.com/storage/gum/gum2.jpg
http://johnbrewerphotography.com/storage/gum/gum3.jpg
Cheers
John.
www.johnbrewerphotography.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judy Seigel" <jseigel@panix.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 5:56 AM
Subject: Re: Single coat gums
John Brewer wrote:
... 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
I'm visualizing the repro in a 1921 Camera Craft... and think maybe we
could take any tones seen there as poetic license... I mean, aside from
the bad reproduction, was the fact that the contrast was probably goosed
up for repro. Which is not to say the print itself couldn't have been
terrific, just that I suspect the printed page isn't much of a guide.
But what I want to know is the secret meaning of "OTT." What I come up
with is "over the top." Yes? No?
J.
=======================================================================
"I'd recommend it for a Pulitzer Prize, except I lack the credentials."
Read My T-Shirt for President: A True History of the Political Front _ and
Back, by Judy Seigel. For Delicious details, and how to order:
www.frontandbackpress.com
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
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.1/807 - Release Date:
16/05/2007
18:05
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.3/809 - Release Date:
17/05/2007 17:18
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database:
269.7.4/811 - Release Date: 18/05/2007 15:50
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database:
269.7.4/811 - Release Date: 18/05/2007 15:50
|
