Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?
Loris,
If I needed 3 ml, then I would use 1.5 ml plus 1.5 ml water. This
eliminates the "bleeding" in the first wash. The stretching of
chemical cost to half is not unwelcome either.
What gold formula do you use? I used Clerc's, which worked well but it
bleached the lightest tones a little and left the highlight a little
cooler than I sometime would like. Wish I could find a warmer toner.
At one time I used Nelson's gold toner for vandyke - the first few
prints were OK but next few were nice and red. Used further it became
unsatisfactory again. I suspect it was the thiosulfite that gave it
the deep red, but it would take just the right amount. I don't have
enough chemistry background to pursue it further. But if it worked for
vandyke I imagine it would work with Argyrotype as well.
Sam
On Apr 21, 2009, at 1:02 PM, Loris Medici wrote:
Paul, have you tried a surfactant? (Tween or something like that.
Never
did for Argrotypes but I was using Ilfotol w/o any negative effects
for
Classic Cyanotypes.) Any sensitizer with AFC will have difficulties in
soaking into the paper, maybe you were experiencing just that?
(Indicated
by loosing image - if it's in the form of bleeding that is...) Were
you
using a hair dryer à la platinum / kallitype? It's best to let the
paper
in peace after coating for at least 10 minutes, to let the
sensitizer soak
in.
All above in case of loosing image due bleeding. Which paper was
that BTW?
Sam, were you diluting 1:1 or adding distilled water to make the
coating
solutions volume 2x? For instance if your nominal coating soln.
amnt. for
8x10" is 3ml you were using 1.5ml sensitizer + 1.5ml water or was
that 3ml
sensitizer + 3ml water? If the latter maybe the extra water was
helping
the coating solution penetrate into the paper. If the former than
that is
a very interesting and useful piece of information!
Regards,
Loris.
21 Nisan 2009, Salı, 6:19 pm tarihinde, Paul Viapiano yazmış:
...
PS...actually you know the biggest problem I have is in the first
water
bath clearing. I lose so much of the image here, even if I use
distilled
water or add an acidic factor, unless I get it out of there in 10
seconds
or so...
----- Original Message -----
From: sam wang
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:30 AM
Subject: Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?
You might try diluting it 1:1 with water. It seems to work a lot
better
with most papers that way and DMax does not seem to be any lower.
However, with good papers such as COT 320, it may be a lot easier
to fix
and wash thoroughly, and the tones are more smooth. For a cheap
paper,
Crane's Weston works reasonably well.
Sam
On Apr 20, 2009, at 6:16 PM, Paul Viapiano wrote:
Yes...paper, paper, paper is so important. In fact, I will
venture to
say that MOST papers do NOT work with this process in any
satisfactory
way...
(hello...bitter...party of one?)
Paul
PS...did a previous post/reply from me on this subject get posted
here? It never showed up on my end...hmmm
----- Original Message -----
From: fernando cruz florez
To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 2:44 PM
Subject: Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?
My negatives are quite high-contrast as it is so it sounds
perfect.
Thanks so much for the all advice. I'll write again once I've had a
chance to test it all out.
Thaks again,
Fernando Cruz
--
Fotografà a y diseño.
Fernando Cruz Florez
Para ver mi portafolio entre a:
fernandocruz.fotografiacolombiana.com
www.fotografiacolombiana.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cgcentrodelaimagen/
http://www.elangelcaido.org/muestras/2008/200812fcruz/200812fcruz.html
facebook fernandocruzf@gmail.com
skype fernandocruzflorez
telefono 57 1 3232287
movil 57 3108686025
2009/4/20 Loris Medici <mail@loris.medici.name>
You need pretty contrasty negatives for Argyrotype. Much more
contrasty
than what you'd need for silver gelatin. If your negatives are
exposed/developed for s/g printing, I'm afraid you won't be
able
to get
nice contrasty/punchy Argyrotypes. (AFAIK, there's some
contrast
control
with the chemistry but I'm not sure if that will suit
negatives
optimized
for s/g printing.)
I don't think they're necessarily more stable than any other
process
giving colloidal silver image on plain paper - as long as the
images are
correctly processed/thoroughly cleared. Especially so when you
choose to
tone your images with noble metals.
I had good results with Bergger COT 320 paper (the only
paper I
had used
for making Argyrotypes). As a rule of thumb, any paper that
doesn't give
problems with New Cyanotype is also good for Argyrotypes.
Search
the web /
list archives for paper information.
If you extremely value image stability (and need the extra
protection)
then you should definitely tone your Argyrotypes (or
Vandykes/Kallitypes/Salt Prints) with gold, platinum or
palladium.
But be
aware that toning for extra longevity comes with the price of
changing the
original color of the image.
Regards,
Loris.
20 Nisan 2009, Pazartesi, 11:30 pm tarihinde, fernando cruz
florez
yazmı�:
Thanks again for the quick response...
I have some negatives in black and white which I want to use for
an
exhibition using this technique (Argyrotype). I've read a couple
of books
which suggest that this process is more stable than a couple of
other
processes I was considering. Since you've experimented with this
process
are
there any particular paper types (brands?) which you'd recommed?
I will have to mix the chemicals myself since they're not
available
pre-made
here in Colombia.
I have some experience with the Bichromate Gum process from when
I worked
in
Arte 2 Grafico (an artisanal/crafts workshop -
http://artedos.com/ ) but
this is the first time I'm experimenting with this particular
process and
the stability/longevity of the images to be used for the
exhibition is
very
important.
Any other advice would be very welcome and greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Fernando Cruz
--
Fotografà a y diseño.
Fernando Cruz Florez
Para ver mi portafolio entre a:
fernandocruz.fotografiacolombiana.com
www.fotografiacolombiana.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cgcentrodelaimagen/
http://www.elangelcaido.org/muestras/2008/200812fcruz/200812fcruz.html
facebook fernandocruzf@gmail.com
skype fernandocruzflorez
telefono 57 1 3232287
movil 57 3108686025
2009/4/20 Loris Medici <mail@loris.medici.name>
Fernando, I did. What exactly do you want to know?
The first thing to mention is that it's a very picky process
when it
comes
to paper choices; you have to use the best and purest papers.
Also, it's better to tone the image in gold before fixing, if
you value
longevity that is; colloidal silver in paper is pretty
vulnerable... And
the color + darkness is beautiful that way. (Pt or Pd toning
also is
possible, but, personally, I got best results with gold.)
It's pretty easy to mix the solution - definitely more complex
than
Vandykes (if you have to compound silver oxide yourself) but
not a big
deal. Mix a volume enough for a couple of months (not longer
than 5-6
months), the solution will deteriorate and silver out as time
passes.
Regards,
Loris.
20 Nisan 2009, Pazartesi, 2:41 am tarihinde, fernando cruz
florez
yazmı�:
...
I was wondering if there's anybody out there who's worked
with
Argyrotypes
willing to share their experiences and tips/tricks for the
process.
...
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