[alt-photo] Re: casein image

[Peter Blackburn]

Christina:
 
You mention mechanical development. I also enjoy that type of interaction with the print and it can be done fairly easily with casein. One way I work with the image is to slightly overexpose the print and then, after a few minutes of soaking to remove the excess dichromate, I implement a variety of bristle brushes dipped in straight ammonia and "chisel" the image out of the emulsion. It takes a little while, but what fun! Just place a fan in a position to draw the fumes away from you. I also can pour boiling water over the print and manipulate the image with brushes in the same way. The advantage is that one can be quite aggressive in the handling of a casein print without the fear of ruining it. Gum can be so—what's the word—wimpy, when it comes to handling. Casein is like heaven for the "hands on" artist. Most of the time I just do straight development—actually I like the "panning method" of development for both gum and casein. It's a real rush watching the image appear out of the murk and mire. 
 
For the record, I have never been able to flake a casein print. I suppose it could be done by using an extremely heavy pigment load or unusually high casein ratio.
 
You, I believe, size the paper with gelatin whereas I use AKD. Sizing techniques will probably play a significant role as to how the casein print can be manipulated as well.
 
Anyway, I'm rooting for your four students! Guinea pigs? Nah—trailblazers! GO FOR IT!  
 
Enjoy your day.

Peter


 

> From: zphoto at montana.net
> Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 18:16:03 -0600
> To: alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org
> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: casein image
> 
> Peter,
> Well I must be ADD too because I didn't see any typos in your letter. Must be reading too fast. I rarely correct my emails, isn't that terrible?
> 
> Two, BLOT with a towel, you ain't a kiddin'!! I practically scratched the whole surface during the development and nary a budge. It is incredibly more hardy than gum. I have a lot of grain in the images I have done because I did lots of roller and brush development, harsh, because my curve was not correct and I didn't want to lose the image...if I had done the same type "mechanical" development (as opposed to "automatic" development e.g. letting it sit there) to a gum print it would be hardly there. This is a plus to casein, as long as you expect it. For instance, I use lots of mechanical development with brush work in the gum process but casein is much more resistant to that so I could not depend on the ability to do it with a casein print.
> 
> The grain is finer. The flaking is almost nonexistent, but I have never tried a gum layer as equally thin to see if it would be similar, so yes, this will inform my gum work.
> 
> I have four students who want to guinea pig casein on Wednesday. The other 14 are sticking with gum.
> 
> Interesting about the thickness of your casein.
> Chris
> 
> Christina Z. Anderson
> christinaZanderson.com
> 
> On Apr 4, 2011, at 10:21 AM, Peter Blackburn wrote:
> > One follow up, Christina— all of the observations you mention are spot on! Hardy development, less exposure time, etc. are among the benefits of casein.
> > You can, in most cases, blot the image dry with a nonembossed paper towel or cotton rag which shortens the drying time and helps to prevents edge blooming which can be a problem in gum when the wet image is taking longer to dry. There are more advantages which I'm sure you will discover soon enough.
> > I am so sorry for the typos in my previous message—typing too fast, pressed for time, not thinking, not proofing very well. My ADD is showing. I will try to do much better.
> > Have a wonderful day everyone!
> > Cheers.
> > Peter J. Blackburn
> 
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