[alt-photo] Re: Sizing

[Paul Viapiano]

Totally agree with Peter, and what I've been advocating for over 2 years now 
esp with this paper.

When I first started reading about gum, I was getting discouraged by the 
sizing aspect. I thought, "I'm not going to go through all that with 
dangerous fumes, etc...no way"...then I read about Keith Taylor printing the 
most beautiful tricolors with no sizing and no preshrinking. What was his 
secret? Nothing, no secret...just do it. Fabriano paper, Daniel Smith 
watercolors...a winning combo. Keith attaches his paper to aluminum, so he 
doesn't need to worry about shrinkage. I don't do that, although I will 
preshrink for very large prints...but besides that...no sizing.

Now, if I want to print on another paper like BFK Rives, which is a very 
soft paper, I will use Gamblin PVA Size in various ratios with water...works 
perfectly. If I want a softer print with lots of bleed, I'll use BFK as 
is...

What I've learned in the 2-3 years I've been working in gum is that there 
are NO rules and that you don't have to make your life so difficult with all 
the dogma that's out there. Get your hands into it, experiment and most of 
all, have fun!

Paul



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Blackburn" <blackburnap at hotmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org>
Sent: Friday, December 09, 2011 3:43 PM
Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Sizing



Johnny:

Although I am in the minority group of those who print in gum (and casein) 
without sizing my paper, I will say you can more than get by with using 
Fabriano Artistico paper without sizing—in fact, you can flourish! The key, 
I repeat, THE KEY to getting excellent highlights and snappy contrast is to 
use pigments which do not leave a stain in the paper after processing—of 
which there are quite a few. Enough, in fact, to produce tricolor and four 
color prints. You just have to test the pigments you wish to use to see if 
it stains.

I know, I know, it sounds too easy and besides, everybody else sizes. Well, 
in my view the time to size is when you have pigments which stain and you 
REALLY want to use them or HAVE to use them. Ok, in those cases, you need 
size. But there are plenty of pigments which do not leave a stain on 
Artistico papers. Those papers have already been sized by the manufacturer 
with a synthetic AKD size.

Veiled highlights? Stop by anytime here in Dallas, Texas. You won't see any 
veiled highlights in my prints. I wish you well in all of your gum printing, 
Johnny!

Peter J. Blackburn



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