U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?

Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?



Loris...

Are you using 1% gold-chloride solution for toning?

Paul


----- Original Message ----- From: "Loris Medici" <mail@loris.medici.name>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?


I see. Let's hope Sam's nice suggestion works for you then -> if you're
still interested in making Agryrotypes, that is. Also definitely try COT
320 (for whatever iron process), it's a really good paper. (If they didn't
changed it!) I was happy with my Argyrotypes because I was always toning
them with gold (which is pretty good priced in my location) -> which would
give convincing blacks almost every time... Never liked the results I was
getting with selenium and Vandykes (too yellow for my taste) therefore I
never tried to tone my Argyrotypes in selenium. I would prefer pt/pd every
time against Argyrotypes - no question! (Ease and quality.)

Is there any on-line gallery showing those prints?

To anyone: please let me know if you're coming to Istanbul/Turkey. I'd
like to meet (and provide any help you need - if I can - with utmost
pleasure).

Regards,
Loris.


21 Nisan 2009, Salı, 8:42 pm tarihinde, Paul Viapiano yazmış:
Hi Loris...

Yes, I did try using Tween, which sometimes helped a bit...

Yes, the bleed is what I was experiencing...and...no hair dryer, just air
dry.

The papers were Platine, Fab EW, Arches cover, Rives BFK, Stonehenge and
Bienfang 360.

Extremely dilute selenium toning helped sometimes, as did acidification of
the paper (except 360 which is neutral-acid already).

I got maybe one good print (or at least acceptable) from each paper...the
last time I made a few there were no good prints at all. Like I said, it
is
such an extremely fickle process and I'm not willing to pay $18 for a
sheet
of paper to make it work.

Then again, I guess we pay up for chemicals (pt/pd) or paper (argys) to
make
it all work for us, eh?

Best to you...

Paul

PS...by the way, I saw Linda Connor's exhibit at the CCP in Tucson, and
there were a lot of images from Turkey! Would love to visit someday...



----- Original Message -----
From: "Loris Medici" <mail@loris.medici.name>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: Anybody experimented with Argyrotypes?


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

      --
      Fotografía 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
yazmıÅ&#65533;:

        > 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
        >
        > --
        > Fotografía 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
        >> yazmıÅ&#65533;:
        >> > ...
        >> > 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.
        >> > ...
        >>
        >