U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: gesso for watercolor?

Re: gesso for watercolor?



is this stuff the same as acrylic gesso/primer?
i've used acrylic before and the results were ugly: flaking, very greyish... allover not pleasant. at all dilutions.also sometimes the emulsion seems to go very deep into the size, so the prints could really take a strong brushing without the emulsion coming off. mixing it with gelatine helped a little, but still not as good as pure gelatin or no size at all.
now (i still have almost a whole bucket of acrylic gesso left...a 500ml was the smallest size) i've found out that acrylic primer is not suited fot watercolor pigments. i should read labels before buying. but i found a gesso which is suited for watercolor, it's lascaux gesso. but before i spend money on half a liter of stuff that doesn't work either, has anyone ever tried this product?
here's a link to the datasheet:
http://www.lascaux.ch/pdf/en/produkte/malhilfen/impraeg_grund/52305.02_grundierungen_.pdf

phritz


Katharine Thayer schrieb:
I don't know about pt/pd or other processes, but I've been trying it for gum and so far not pleased with the results. Apparently I don't have Jim's magic touch, or something. I believe Jim uses it at full strength (if I have that wrong, please correct) but at full strength I get a grainy image (will scan example later if I remember to get it when I go downstairs) that isn't acceptable to me; I also dislike the high shine. Have also tried it at half strength and 1/3 strength but didn't like those either, I forget now why. Would need to go down and look at test prints to refresh my memory. All I know is, none of my experiments with Gamblin PVA sizing for gum were satisfactory to me, and I've gone back to gelatin and glyoxal. This was on Arches bright white, a very hard, crisp-surfaced paper; I suspect it may work better on a more absorbent paper.
Katharine


On Mar 16, 2009, at 9:05 AM, Paul Viapiano wrote:

Hi all...

What about using Gamblin PVA size?

I know that Jim Larimer likes to use it for gums...has anyone else used it for pt/pd or other processes?

I'd like to buy a bottle today and try it out...

Paul



----- Original Message ----- From: "Alberto Novo" <alt.list@albertonovo.it>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 9:29 AM
Subject: Re: agar sizing



Damiano,

did you note if it still has adhesive power round 40° ?         8 - )

I think you mean if this happens after a warm soaking, like for resinotype. I don't believe agar swells like gelatin, because you need to rise the temperature up to 90°C to dissolve it. However, I will check these days.

is it yellowish or it has other "nuances"?

I have a yellowish agar, given me by a biologist, and a perfectly white (edible) agar bought in a grocery. But also the yellowish one, once brushed on the paper and air dried, is only barely visible but for the shine of the sheet.
Alberto