U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Gum on masa, again

Re: Gum on masa, again

Um, well thanks, but I'm not finding this to be so, that the paper
is so strong it doesn't disintegrate in water if left to soak, even
for a long time, if "disintegrate" is interpreted broadly enough to
include these cracks I get in the backing (that's the word I was
looking for, cracks). I left a plain piece of the paper to soak
overnight, just to see what would happen, and the same thing:
cracks in the fuzzy backing, all over the paper. You see these
cracks from the back (upper surface as the paper is floating face
downward) as dark lines, and they also show in the face as narrow
creases. So it's not that I'm lifting the edges and causing these
tiny creases in the paper, it's soaking the paper that's causing the
problem. Iit's as if the fuzzy stuff separates slightly in places.
So using a screen to support the paper in the water wouldn't help the
problem.

I was hoping to wake up to an answer this morning; I was hoping for
something like "oh, forgot to tell you about that part; you have to
pour Everclear on the paper before you coat it and that keeps it from
happening" or some such. When I did those little test prints a
couple of years ago, I didn't have this problem, but those papers
were smaller, more like 8x10. These papers I'm using now are half
sheets, 15.5" by 21". I've now thrown away about a dozen half sheets
and spent two days at this; I could have bought three sheets of my
usual paper and had half a dozen nice prints by now. I guess for me
this is a lesson in the value of spending money to save money. It's
really fascinating how different people's experience is with
different materials. I was attracted to this paper by Keith's
exclamation on the list "I really love this paper!" and by his
prints, and by Rajul's and others' prints on masa, but now I can say
without reservation, "I truly despise this paper." Now I know how
people feel when they try something I've enthused about and they
don't find it as wonderful as I do.


I've always prided myself on being able to print gum on just about
any paper there is. I've printed on many Japanese papers including
silk tissue (now there's a paper that truly has wet strength!) on
typing paper, on cardstock, inkjet paper, Bristol board, mat board,
on all kinds of printing and watercolor papers, but I think this one
has got me beat.
Katharine


On Oct 9, 2008, at 11:48 PM, Loris Medici wrote:

Katharine,

I don't think there are that much different batches of the same paper
circulate (as you describe in your previous message), because I
ordered
two packs of this with almost one year between the orders and it
wasn't
different at all.

This paper is very strong in water (= won't disintegrate) even if
you let
it soaking for more than 24 hours. I know that because I've made
carbon
tissue on such soaked paper and there wasn't a slightest hint of
creasing...

I didn't printed large (bigger than 9x12") on Masa and not many
times but
never had that type of creasing in the stage of development too.

I had wrinkles instead (especially while using hair dryer between
coats,
to work quickly).

I guess Keith would be more helpful in solving your problem with
Masa...

Regards,
Loris.


10 Ekim 2008, Cuma, 8:17 am tarihinde, Katharine Thayer yazmış:

On Oct 9, 2008, at 8:35 PM, Katharine Thayer wrote:


 the thing that ruins prints for me is that when the paper gets wet
through, it becomes very fragile; any disturbance of the paper
(gently picking up an edge to look at how it's developing, etc)
opens a crease, almost a tear,  that tends to run diagonally across
the print but can go in any direction, and there can be more than
one of them.


In case anyone's having trouble picturing this:

http://www.pacifier.com/~kthayer/html/masa.html

this isn't the whole print, just as much of it as would fit on the
scanner bed.
Katharine