U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Artistico Unsized?

Re: Artistico Unsized?



Dave, here's what I wrote about the test at the time I posted this link (January 22, 2007):

"I've printed gum on both sides; the nappy side doesn't work very well because it speckles and would require additional size to print without speckling. It is also difficult to coat smoothly, as the emulsion catches in the nap and wants to stay where it was put initially rather than brushing out smooth. The smooth side coats beautifully and prints quite well, but it's very slow. Both sides are slow, but I assumed the nappy side was slow because it soaks up a lot more emulsion so the coating is thicker, but even the smooth side, which uses much less emulsion, is slow, at least 4x the exposure required for my usual Arches paper. Also, since the paper is thin, it tends to dry crinkled, and would probably need to be flattened in a press. It's kind of like printing gum on typing paper; you can do it, but why would you? Two reasons why you might: it dries quick as a wink, and the smooth side is very smooth and coats nicely. It's hard to find a really smooth surface that's also easy to coat.

These are just quick-and-dirty test prints and not calibrated for the best exposure, but they do show the relative printing qualities of the two sides of the paper.

http://www.pacifier.com/~kthayer/html/Masa.html";
kt


On Aug 28, 2007, at 7:37 AM, Dave Soemarko wrote:

Katharine,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like aonther sumie paper that I have used
when I studied brush painting, except this one seems to be a little thicker.


The two tests look quite fine. The print on the napped surface seems to have
some stain. Is that true in the real print?

And overall, do you like the paper for gum prints?


Dave


-----Original Message-----
From: Katharine Thayer [mailto:kthayer@pacifier.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:19 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: Re: Artistico Unsized?

Dave,  the catalog description of the paper is:

"a soft white paper with the traditional absorbency and feel
of traditional papers.  Machine-made in Japan from sulphite,
it is acid- free and internally and surface-sized."

What the catalog doesn't say is that the paper has two
distinct sides, a smooth side and a  side with a napped surface.

There was quite a discussion here about the paper six months
ago or so; at that time I printed a quick one-coat gum on
each side of the paper and posted the result here:

http://www.pacifier.com/~kthayer/html/Masa.html

I've never done any more but those two quick tests, but like
Loris, I was intrigued with the price and how fast the paper dries.
kt



On Aug 28, 2007, at 6:44 AM, Dave Soemarko wrote:


It looks good to me. I am thinking about trying it for

brush painting.

I am wondering if it is factory sized  or unsized as in most sumi-e
painting paper.


Thanks,
Dave



-----Original Message-----
From: Loris Medici [mailto:mail@loris.medici.name]
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 4:01 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: RE: Artistico Unsized?

BTW, I should explain why I'm so obsessed with Masa:

- It's cheap, incredibly cheap
- It dries quick, very quick
- It doesn't need sizing because - in my practice - it doesn't get
stained whatever exposure time, whatever pigment amnt. you use...

-----Original Message-----
From: Loris Medici [mailto:mail@loris.medici.name]
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 10:50 AM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: RE: Artistico Unsized?


I found a product called "3M Photo Mount Adhesive Spray"

and will try

this to mount a thin paper (Masa, 70gsm - that should make

something

like 32-33lbs...) to 0.125mm thick Yupo stock. Will return

later to

tell you whether it works or not...

Regards,
Loris.

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Sullivan [mailto:richsul@earthlink.net]
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2007 8:49 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Subject: RE: Artistico Unsized?


It's been some time since I used this method so I am having to do
some recall from over 20 years ago. Actually in the late 60's and
early 70's.
Sheese!

Judy is right on one count, It does leave some goo on the back of
your print which stiffens it and makes it a lot less paper like. A
decade or so ago there was a young women in France using

the system

to a great success -- according to her -- and I believe she was
mounting with shellac and removing it with alcohol so she

had solved

the gooey problem.

...