Re: On topic: myth or reality?
Judy, you see that's what I meant from a few words you almost write a book in no time. I found a few words the other day that went about like this: "Give a man a camera and you make him a photograph, give a man a violin and you say he own a violin" These few words translate the essence of what I mean with gum printing. If I where to do gum seriously, I would do it like a violinist, nothing less would satisfy me. It the same for everything else I hold at heart, I give it my best until I'm satisfied. You would be surprised how these last words "I'm satisfied" characterise me. My wife is happy when I say them, we laugh about it all the time, it as become our inside joke if you will. Sometime, she even suggest that I do small things so I can say them with a smile on my face, you have to understand as well that I have severe back problem and with all the pills I take it doesn't happen to often that I feel like smiling which gives those few little words a special meaning to us. Thanks again and have happy holidays, Yves PS I'm satisfied now and I'm smiling. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judy Seigel" <jseigel@panix.com> To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 12:26 PM Subject: Re: On topic: myth or reality? > > On Thu, 20 Dec 2007, Yves Gauvreau wrote: > > > ...I'd like to do this [gum printing] with my > > hands as you do but I know it can take years to master and I don't know if I > > have that time left in my life. At least I have woodworking where I can > > express myself with my hands and I find that very rewarding. > > Yves, The business about gum printing taking "years to master" is pure > baloney, worse than anything Photoshop could invent when it's full of it. > I've taught literally HUNDREDS of space cadet undergrads & more than a few > brain-damaged orthodontists, actuaries and librarians to make gum prints > to their heart's desire in a couple of lessons.... The SECRET is you have > to know what you're doing and start with first things first.... (matching > the negative to the medium is one of them). > > That is, do not believe the myths invented by self-styled "experts" with a > book to sell, including folks who've never done a gum print in their lives > but need a chapter on gum which they cut and paste from some other > off-the-wall chapter on gum.... WORST of all, the VERY VERY worst being > the Paul Anderson "gum pigment ratio test," which not only has NOTHING to > do with gum printing but causes IQ loss just from reading the > instructions. > > Another canard is "gum can't do fine detail." Apologies for repeating > myself, but gum can print everything in the negative, provided you don't > use paper the texture of tree bark... which kind of got to be the habit > when folks who knew diddle wanted to get artsy. > > Here are 2 suggestions... > > Somewhere in Paris (I think the Biblioteque Nationale -- Bob Schramm will > know) there's a collection of Robert DeMachy gums... I understand they're > exquisite (they're certainly wonderful in repro). Go see them and get an > idea of what a printer who learned gum printing from a couple of sentences > in his camera store from a printer who'd picked it up pretty much himself > -- in 1889 when gum printing was not yet an "art" medium -- could do. > BEFORE THE INTERNET if you could believe ! Demachy experimented a few > weeks and then got a gum print in the salon. > > Then go to www.alternativephotography.com/books/js_post_factory.html > That's the first issue of The World Journal of Post-Factory Photography, > complete, courtesy of Malin (oops, spacing on her last name). This will > tell you everything you need to know to make whatever gum your heart > desires... Not that there can't be details and embellishments galore and > maybe even more to come, but you can master those basics in... taking > things easy, two days. > > I'll add here in case Ryuji is with us that I was being FACETIOUS when I > said I do gum prints in 16 bits. (The only 16 bits in my life is 8 > quarters for the parking meter, and that goes to sainted husband who parks > the car.) As noted, gum can print everything in the negative, but there is > dot gain, maybe as much as going from a laser print of a photo to offset, > tho it also depends on your mix, and if you're applying more than one > coat, on your skill at re-register. If you want sharp sharper sharpest, as > many on this list (and even the world at large) do, you may not choose gum > for your main medium. However you should treat yourself at least for a > while, because it is delicious and, far from being impossible to master, > is the most forgiving medium in the canon (beyond pure fantasy). If you > make a mistake just brush it off and coat it again. > > PS to Sandy et al: As for voulez vous being all those words --- why only > "ce soir"? What about love in the afternoon? (Tho I thought it would more > logically be "veux tu" -- n'est-ce pas?) > > bonne everything... > > Judy
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