Re: gum question
Isn't there some way to have a Flickr group that anyone can post an
image to? Perhaps we should start one for the alt list. It would be
great to see more image examples from members of the list.
Joe
On Jun 7, 2008, at 10:40 PM, Diana Bloomfield wrote:
Oops-- sorry about that. I wasn't thinking. I hope no one's
computer crashed, and yes-- hopefully, the list police are asleep.
Yikes
Thanks, Sam. That means a lot. I really loved it myself, but I
wasn't sure if I only felt that way, simply because I was comparing
it to the other prints I'd been doing. Yeah, he bothered me quite
a lot when he said it, but mostly because it took so many failures
and such work to finally make a decent print. Turns out his wife
really liked it, so at least she has good taste. ;) I am connected
to another gallery that shows only alt processes, so they're used
to photographs not looking like photographs and seem to really like
it. I don't know-- since when are people worried about photographs
looking "photographic?" As I said, I did a few other gum prints
from zone plates, but it was difficult to get something that would,
after a few layers, remain somewhat defined. The ones that were
fairly simple, in composition and information-- like this one--
seemed to do the best. I'm crazy about the zone plates, though,
and what a boon to actually be able to see (well, sort of) what I'm
actually taking a picture of . . .
On Jun 7, 2008, at 9:24 PM, sam wang wrote:
That print is a beauty!
(But sorry that I have to remind you that no one is supposed to
include attachments. Let's hope the list police is asleep)
I would definitely take gallery owners' words with a grain of
salt! And curators. And critics! Trust your own instinct! If you
were doing it solely to sell, and sell in just that one gallery,
then you would need to listen to the person. Otherwise, absolutely
not!
Sam
On Jun 7, 2008, at 8:39 PM, Diana Bloomfield wrote:
Oh, I bet that made for a beautiful portrait. I guess I didn't
know clay came in anything but brick red. That's all I've ever
seen. I have, indeed, heard of pregnant women eating clay and
dirt-- is that only in the South?
This particular image I've been working with today is from a
Diana camera. Of course, it's not sharp to begin with, but I was
surprised at how well it did with that one coat. I'll take a
picture of it and post when it dries. I added a yellow layer
(after sizing it after that first coat). I wish I'd left it
alone, but the yellow layer looks okay.
I did make a few gum images from zone plates. Most were a
disappointment--and, as you say, got kind of muddy or mush-like
after a few layers-- but I'll attach one I really liked. A few
people from the list have seen this already. I really loved it,
but my gallery owner here saw it and said he was "underwhelmed."
Worse yet, he was dismayed because it "didn't look like a
photograph." I don't know. Maybe my standards have gone down,
but after a lot of failures, this one seemed really successful,
in comparison. I just liked the way the colors transitioned so
smoothly, and my whites stayed white. Don't know how well this
will come across on your screen. I took the photo of the print
itself by window light with my digital camera, so take it for
what it's worth. It really is pretty (in real life)-- or, at
least, I like to think it is. This was with your zone plate cap,
Sam, on my Canon 5D. I printed this on sized (w/gelatin and glut
for hardener) Fabriano Artistico.
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