[alt-photo] Re: Sizing

[Peter Blackburn]

Hi Mary:
 
Your work is lovely, especially the skin tones—don't stop what you're doing. As I said most artists working in gum size their papers. 
 
Christina, yes, I apply an AKD topcoat when using other papers or in cases when I happen to do a lot of layers on Artistico as a boost. Most of the time I try to stay within 3-4 layers on Artistico so I won't need the boost.
 
Yes, all of you who traditional size reap the glorious benefit of having a HUGE assortment of pigments available which will not stain. There is much to be said for that kind of freedom. The trade off is that sizing (especially those who use formalin and the other stuff) then becomes another step, another expense, another point to QC, more chemicals to handle, safety issues to consider (fume hoods) etc. Just speaking for myself, that is too much pain for not enough gain. When Fab UNO came out (today known as Artistico), it afforded the opportunity to gum print in many colors without the need to size. I suppose it was my sheer hatred of sizing that instilled the motivation to discover ways to make Artistico work without it.
 
I've shared this story elsewhere on the web, but I asked a local organization of artists, many working in watercolor, to test their pigments. They were more than happy to help (especially since I offered a small donation to their group). After testing almost 100 pigments in one shot, I found several (17 to be exact) nonstaining yellows, reds, blues, and a black, more than enough to do serious tricolor work. I have never looked back. And after further testing over the years, I have more pigments than I know what to do with. To me, printing without sizing is also a form of freedom.
 
Yes, Christina, to each their own, I agree. It's nice, though, to have both viewpoints expressed here for the sake of providing beginners and others some options.  When beginners are always and only told that sizing is a requirement, I cringe. That is old (pre AKD) information.    

Peter J. Blackburn