[alt-photo] Re: pigments for gum

Wed Dec 14 14:43:38 GMT 2011

Well, bless your heart, Peter. I didn't mean for my last post to get you so worked up.  

Again, I don't really care anything about the details of how you work  If whatever you do works for you, then that's all that really matters. And it sounds like you have a great working method for yourself. 

I'm well aware that many people don't size their papers. As I think I mentioned here-- several times now at this point-- I  don't size for my first layer, and then for the second, I brush on one very thin cost of PVA-- which I never have to add again-- and that works great for me. 

So I'm currently not using any "noxious" sizing agents and haven't for a while. And I mainly use that one thin coat as just a precautionary safeguard.  As someone else said (Chris maybe?)-- I don't want to add some last layer and have a problem. With that one thin PVA coat, I am completely confident that I won't.     

Okay, well, I'm  in the Starbucks drive-through line right now waiting for a de-caf soy latte-- for which I have a serious addiction (both the drive-through part and the soy lattes), so gotta go. The nicest thing happened to me the other day. I drove up to pay, and the woman said that the person in the car in front of me paid for mine. Just some sweet stranger being generous. 

Diana
www.dhbloomfield.com

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 14, 2011, at 8:44 AM, Peter Blackburn <blackburnap at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 
> Where is it written that if an artist is inclined to share anything about their work (many don't) they are then obligated to tell everything about their work lest they be labeled insecure, ungiving, or mean spirited. That makes absolutely no sense to me. I was taught there are a few unwritten rules in art such as don't touch a painting or sculpture without the artist's permission. Another is to respect (I didn't say agree with, just respect) what an artist shares and chooses not to share. You may not like that an artist has chosen not to reveal certain aspects of their work and that's understandable. But it ought to be respected. If I were insecure, I wouldn't dare share anything—especially on this website. 
> 
> The ONLY point I've ever wanted to make on this site is the fact that professional, gallery quality gum prints can be made WITHOUT sizing. Many artists, like yourself don't mind sizing. Sizing is not an issue. It is, as Christina puts it, a "PITA" which you can live with OK. Others, like myself HATE sizing. I don't want to live with it. It is not OK for me. I, like others, find sizing with formalin and other noxious stuff a major obstacle and hassle to gum printing. The work of Sam Wang, myself, and many others (whose work can be seen on the web) should be proof positive enough that adding size is no longer a requirement for excellent prints, but an option. We all like options, don't we? Thanks to Artistico and other AKD papers we . . . have . . . options.
> 
> I wasn't trying to brag about how many tests I've done, but rather explain how others can find nonstaining pigments for use on AKD papers such as Artistico.
> And I didn't just sort of, I DID COMPLETELY, tell how I found my pigments, if you go through this string of postings again. Of course, those who are already calibrated to using the standard sizing materials probably wouldn't be interested. The list Chris provides only applies to paper which have been sized with the standard materials Chris uses. I suspect only a fraction of those pigments she lists will work on AKD paper. 
> 
> As I've said, it's a trade off. Size with formalin and the other stuff and you have a whole world of pigment choices available. There is, indeed, much value and advantage in that! Or—use AKD papers out of the box and you can forget sizing and all of the associated baggage. The drawback is a much smaller palate—but it can be a very workable, more than adequate palate. Just test some pigments and go for it. The choice is yours.
> 
> Cheers. 
> 
> 
> Peter J. Blackburn
> 
> 
>> From: dhbloomfield at bellsouth.net
>> Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:14:16 -0500
>> To: alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org
>> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: pigments for gum
>> 
>> Haha. Thanks, Peter. I don't actually need (or want) your "A List" or your palette. Why would I? 
>> 
>> I just find odd that someone gives out information-- well, sort of-- and then not. I'm not sure I get the point-- except to be able to post and say that you did a bunch of tests. I don't know; I guess that doesn't impress me much (wait-- maybe I should put that to music). 
>> 
>> I already have pigments I like to use and that work well for me. Sometimes I try others, and I'll no doubt look at the list Chris provided and maybe I'll try a few of those, or maybe not. I do plenty of work and tests myself (as I'm quite sure others here do as well). But if I chose to post about how many tests I performed, etc, and then someone asked for more information, I would not be uncomfortable telling them. Again, I feel like this sort of information is part and parcel of teaching and just sharing-- and also just as a useful guideline (part of why people write 'how-to' books, I suspect). 
>> 
>> I come from Southern stock myself. And you know what they say about Southern women . . .
>> 
>> Diana
>> 
>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Hi Diana and Trevor—
>>> 
>>> Oh, anyone is free to "steal" my palate and use the pigments I use—that is, if they find them on their own. What's wrong with doing your own testing, research, and labor? I did. Didn't hurt me one bit and I learned sooooooooooo much that I probably wouldn't have otherwise. I think I've made it clear how I found my pigments, which I believe is fair enough. Sorry, spoon feeding every detail to grown up, perfectly capable adults is not my forte. I come from Scottish stock. Maybe that explains it.
>>> 
>>> What's the saying— " Give someone a fish, eat for a day. Teach them to fish and . . ." well, you know the rest.
>>> 
>>> By the way, Trevor, my daughter knows all of my printing techniques so I'm not THAT stingy. Not sure she understands it all, though (she's only 16 and cyanotype is more to her liking). This is all great discussion and I appreciate the interaction. Cheers!
>>> 
>>> Peter J. Blackburn
>> 
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