Re: Gum Sizing Brush, Roller, Tray

[Judy Seigel <jseigel@panix.com>]

On Mon, 7 Apr 2008, Robert Newcomb wrote:

> When it comes to putting size on paper for Gum prints, have you found 
> brushing it on, using a small paint roller or dipping the whole sheet in a 
> tray of size to be the preferred method?
> When I first tied gum printing several years ago, I would immerse the entire 
> sheet in a tray of warm gelatin and then carefully drag the sheet over the 
> edge of the tray to remove some of the excess, hang and dry.  I believe this 
> is the method in the "Gum Bichromate Book" which was my only guide at the 
> time.
When I read that book I'd been teaching gum for 10 years & it left me with 
a net deficit of information.  Dragging the sheet over the edge of the 
tray is a MESS.  And USELESS.

Put your gelatin tray narrow end next to the back of the sink. Stand a 
sheet of glass against that wall at an angle. Put the paper one sheet at 
time on the glass (preferably with 1 drop of kremer defoamer in the 
gelatin). Then LIGHTLY squeegee down the paper, pick it off the glass & 
hang to dry.

> I also vividly remember having to endure the burning eyes while using large 
> amounts of formalin - maybe thats why my hair is white?
No no... that's more probably why your eyes are red.

> I saw Christina's post "I have not yet tried Kerik Kouklis' handy method of 
> adding 6 drops of formalin per 10ml hot gelatin at time of brushing it onto 
> paper which would probably be the ticket."
The trouble with adding the formalin to the gelatin is you can't re-use 
leftovers. If the gelatin doesn't have the hardener in it, you can keep 
it for a couple of days in the fridge, then remelt.

(Not to mention that a vat size is a better, sturdier, evener, longer 
lasting size than a brush size.)

J.