Masa findings

[Keith Gerling <keith.gerling@gmail.com>]

I love printing gum on Masa paper, but I have to admit that the final
result has something to be desired.  The paper lacks "character" and
is so thin that the dried print is very warped and crinkly.
Dry-mounting works well, but I would really like to find an
alternative that doesn't have such a permanent effect on the print.
Besides, Masa is so thin and light that a stack of 10 prints weighs
about as much as one mount board.

I've played with a couple of flattening ideas that, while ultimately
unsuccessful, still are kind of interesting.  One of them in
particular gives a finished print that is unlike any gum print I have
ever seen - sort of like a ferrotyped silver gelatin print.  I print
on the SMOOTH side,  wet the finished dry print, brush on a layer of
gelatin, and squeegee this to a shiny piece of aluminum face down.  As
the gelatin dries, the print shrinks and it pulls itself off of the
aluminum.  The result is a very shiny gum print.  Unfortunately, it
does very little for the dmax.  Still, it is a rather novel look that
I can see might have some use.

Keith