[alt-photo] Re: Sizing

[Peter Blackburn]

Hi Paul:
 
I'm glad to hear you are having success, too! It's nice to know there are others out there printing away without sizing producing spectacular prints. Yes, if you wish to use other non-AKD papers such as BFK, then sizing is needed. That paper is quite soft. 
 
Mary—it seems your lack of success is primarily due to choosing the wrong pigments for Artistico. The "quick and dirty" way to tell if a pigment might be a good candidate for Artistico is to dab a bit of pigment on the paper, dry, and rinse. If it leaves a stain, you're most likely out of luck. But, don't give up—try others. I personally use gouache pigments much of the time—all from a single brand, by the way. Anyway, since you seem to be a pro at sizing, then keep going and I wish you well.
 
Thanks, Paul, for the back up! I wish you well, too!

Peter J. Blackburn
 

> From: viapiano at pacbell.net
> To: alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org
> Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 16:04:16 -0800
> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Sizing
> 
> 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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