U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: gum arabic

Re: gum arabic



But in a gum print the gum and the pigment(s) are inseparable. So, to me
your point (about the color change of the pigments) is irrelevant. Also
the writing doesn't say anything about the failing of the binding. (=
Loosing binding properties, to me.)

What are your arguments giving you such a concrete opinion that hardened
gum won't darken with age? That is the information I specifically need.

BTW, I'm not saying that hardened gum will definitely darken with time.
I'm just concerned about this possibility now, being aware of that
specific account.

Hope I'm making myself clear.

Regards,
Loris.


31 Ocak 2009, Cumartesi, 4:15 am tarihinde, Jack Brubaker yazmış:
> There is no comment here about the original watercolor image having
> changed
> color. It is just the inappropriate use of gum as a varnish that has
> failed.
> There are many examples of gum being used as a binder going back much
> further without failure. Generally the only concern with really old
> watercolor painting is the viability of the pigments used at the time.
> Jack
>
> 2009/1/30 Loris Medici <mail@loris.medici.name>
>
>> Maybe, but they're also talking about darkening (cracking is another
>> issue) and that's my actual concern -> can it happen to hardened gum
>> also?
>>
>> Anyway, we know that gum prints are stable for at least 120 - 130 years
>> (by looking to the condition of actual prints made in the late 19th
>> century), which is fine. But the image on the page is around 2-2.5 times
>> older than the oldest gum dichromate print we can inspect...
>>
>> Regards,
>> Loris.
>>
>>
>> 30 Ocak 2009, Cuma, 10:57 pm tarihinde, Katharine Thayer yazmış:
>> >> Loris wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I'm not that much confident since I had read this:
>> >> http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/Winter01-02/bird.cfm
>> >>
>> >> What do you (all) think?
>> >
>> > Loris, I think it's unfortunate that they used unhardened gum as a
>> > varnish; soluble gum is extremely likely to crack, as it did in that
>> > instance, as well as being totally water soluble.  (In this case the
>> > water solubility was a blessing, because it made it easy to
>> > remove).   This isn't relevant to our use of gum arabic where the gum
>> > that remains in the artwork is not water soluble and doesn't have the
>> > same properties of being susceptible to cracking, so I'd say you
>> > shouldn't let that account shake your confidence in the archivality
>> > of a gum print.
>> > Katharine
>>
>>
>



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