U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Ruined 3rd tricolor gum print! Grrrr...

Re: Ruined 3rd tricolor gum print! Grrrr...



Thank you all people! Now I'm getting somewhere; indeed, the pigment was
too much... I did another test print, see the progress below:

http://www.loris.medici.name/gum/phtalo/

I think I can still cut some more pigment. The result is still too - not
dark but let say -> low contrast. Of course, one reason of this is the
fact that I'm using paper negatives -> those give low contrast because of
the paper's texture. Will make another try (after finishing this one)
using less dichromate (10% instead of 20%) and slightly more exposure
(19mins, ~ +1/3 stop) and see what happens. I think I can use slightly
more contrast in the shadows.

Thank you all again!

I liked much Keith's approach and will continue that way. Katharine's
explanation about her workflow is also logical and was noted. I noted
Chris' "dilute the coating solution" suggestion too and may try it later
according to the current situation...

Please provide your comments about the images above.

Thanks in advance & best regards,
Loris.


22 Eylül 2008, Pazartesi, 6:50 pm tarihinde, Katharine Thayer yazmış:
> P.S. Looking at the amounts (before, I was looking only at your
> description of the effects) I'm even more sure about the pigment.  If
> you're using the same amount of thalo as PV19, it's most probably too
> much thalo.  As I think I said a day or two ago in a different
> context, PV19 isn't nearly as strong as thalo.  Hope that's helpful,
> kt
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 22, 2008, at 8:04 AM, Katharine Thayer wrote:
>
>> My first thought, without seeing the thing myself, is that you're
>> using too much thalo;  the flaking, the uneven coating, the
>> overwhelmingness that you describe  (though I might be
>> understanding that different than you're meaning it) all suggest
>> too much pigment.  I could be wrong; I'd have to see it for myself
>> to know for sure.
>>
>> In my experience, a cyan-last order works best, because with the
>> yellow and red already down, you can watch the color balance and
>> tonality while developing and take it out when it's "right;"  in
>> other words it's easier to get it right on the first try printing
>> cyan last.
>> Katharine
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sep 22, 2008, at 6:34 AM, Loris Medici wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I'm trying tricolor gum printing using plain paper negatives.
>>>
>>> I start with yellow (Schmincke 208 Aureolin Modern PY151
>>> Benzimidazolone),
>>> then I print the magenta (Schmincke 351 Ruby Red PV19 Quinacridone
>>> Red)
>>> and everything (tonality, smoothness, color) is good & nice up to
>>> here...
>>>
>>> As the last layer, I print the cyan (Schmincke 479 Helio Cerulean
>>> PB15:3
>>> Phtalocyanine Blue) and somehow it's too overwhelming, very
>>> uneven, and it
>>> flakes like crazy!
>>>
>>> Pigment amounts are as following:
>>> 1. Yellow, pea sized, into 3.75ml gum + 3.75ml dichromate
>>> 2. Magenta, lentil sized (read as: half of yellow), same as 1
>>> 3. Cyan, lentil sized (same as magenta), same as 1
>>>
>>> Exposure times and dichromate amounts are the same for all three
>>> layers
>>> (15mins., 20% ammonium dichromate). I use automatic development
>>> for 30
>>> minutes, sometimes a little longer according to how it looks.
>>>
>>> I don't know why I'm having this problem but will try to (all
>>> together):
>>> a) Print in the opposite order (1. Cyan, 2. Magenta, 3. Yellow)
>>> b) Use even less cyan pigment to match the color intensity of
>>> previous layers
>>> c) Try to not panic while struggling to coat an extra even cyan
>>> layer...
>>>
>>> What can you say? Any ideas on why I'm stuck that way?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance,
>>> Loris.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>