[alt-photo] Re: Sizing

[Don Sweet]

And Peter

Is the list given here accurate in your experience?

http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/palette2.html#nonstaining

Don Sweet

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Nelson" <ender100 at aol.com>
To: "The alternative photographic processes mailing list"
<alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:33 AM
Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Sizing


> Peter,
>
> With your test for staining, did you ever discover what might be in the
watercolors that caused the staining?
>
> Mark Nelson
> www.PrecisionDigitalNegatives.com
> PDNPRint Forum @ Yahoo Groups
> www.MarkINelsonPhoto.com
>
> sent from my iPhonetypeDeviceThingy
>
> On Dec 12, 2011, at 7:32 AM, Peter Blackburn <blackburnap at hotmail.com>
wrote:
>
> >
> > 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
> >
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