Re: Masa-gum question for Keith Gerling
I prefer the smooth side. I think the final dry-mounted print looks better on the smooth side. One problem with the using the smooth side is that - when you place the wet print on a smooth surface to dry - you must contend with water migrating though the paper causing big messy drips. It seems that the nappy side holds the water and it has to go somewhere. I've laid down nice prints only to discover 15 minutes later that they were ruined. Now I pretty much dry each print to completion with a hair dryer - a major inconvenience for a large print. BTW, this place: http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=24474 sells rolls of masa On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Diana Bloomfield <dhbloomfield@bellsouth.net> wrote: > Keith, > > Inspired by your work, I started using masa myself for gum (and at 97 cents > a sheet at our local Jerry's here, that price is hard to beat!). I really > like it and have had no problems with it. I think it was Sam who mentioned > a while back about laying the wet paper on a flat sheet of glass to dry, and > so the glass works like a suction. I've done that, and when dry, the paper > peels right off-- very flat. I use a humidifier in my darkroom, so I've not > had any problems coating with it either, but my prints have never been > larger than 14" or so in any direction, which probably helps. I also lay > the paper on a piece of glass to coat. But it's great paper. Thanks for > telling us about it. I haven't used the smooth side yet, though. How is > that? > > Diana > > > On Sep 23, 2008, at 2:10 PM, Keith Gerling wrote: > >> Thanks! >> >> There are disadvantages working with masa, but the price makes up for >> them. With masa you actually get two papers, as the rough side and >> the smooth side are completely different. There are actually a few >> interesting little surprises that await those willing to experiment. >> >> On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 12:47 PM, Katharine Thayer <kthayer@pacifier.com> >> wrote: >>> >>> Thanks, much. I've been quite happy with Arches bright white, until it >>> came >>> time to order a new box, and the $100 price tag (substantial increase in >>> the >>> last year or two) what with things being the way they are these days is >>> making masa look definitely attractive to me. By the way, I spent some >>> time >>> again yesterday looking at your dancers on masa, you've really got some >>> great prints there. >>> k >>> >>> >>> On Sep 23, 2008, at 10:30 AM, Keith Gerling wrote: >>> >>>> No. To recap: I was having problems getting a smooth and even >>>> emulsion coat without having the dry surface absorb before the >>>> emulsion could be spread. Humidification addressed this. With masa >>>> all kinds if problems ensued (all caused by the paper being very >>>> thin), so I started misting the paper and then immediately coating. >>>> Now, I just add the water to the emulsion (I was using 1 to 1 >>>> gum/saturated Pot Di - now more like 1 to 1 to 1.5 gum, sensitizer, >>>> water). Everything goes on really smooth. >>>> >>>> On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 12:01 PM, Katharine Thayer >>>> <kthayer@pacifier.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Keith, I remember you saying, a while back, that you humidify paper >>>>> before >>>>> coating. Do you do that with your masa paper as well? >>>>> >>>>> Katharine >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> > >
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