[alt-photo] Re: casein

[Christina Anderson]

Marek,
I am using 10% ammonium caseinate. 
I too am very entranced by the quick development, minutes with brush or roller, only 1/2 hour otherwise. So with quick exposure and quick development, it is really fast.
Even if you scrape the heck out of it, the grain is very fine, impressionistic, not flaky like gum. And the layer is very thin.
I am using 10% pot di 1:1 and 3 minute exposures, thus my coating of casein is only 5% casein and 5% pot di, or about .15g pot di per 8x10 layer, given about 3ml coating.
No smell at all, except a slight foetidity when developing, like wet dog.
Chris

Christina Z. Anderson
christinaZanderson.com

On Apr 28, 2011, at 11:26 AM, Marek Matusz wrote:

> 
> Alberto and Don,
> It is interesting that I ended up with about 12% casein solution, very similar to yours. The ammonia smell from ammonium carbonate is rather faint, almost non existent. The solution feels like a typical gum solution. I used watercolour indantrone blue (Danil Smith) with more or less of what I would use for a monochromatic gum, much more concentrated then for a tricolour printing. 
> Th esensitizer consisted of 10cc of this ammonim caseinate/pigment solution and 5 cc of saturated ammonium dichromate. Coating was done with brush and then smoothed with a foam roller. I also use the foam roller to pick up excess of sensitizing solution. This results in a very even and thin coat. I use the same method for gum printing.  The exposure was about 1 to 1:15 minutes on a bank of UV lights. With the same negative I would expose 2-3 minutes for gum. My negatives are actually palladium/carbon type, but that is what I use for gum printing. After a few minutes of soaking I could see some elements of print emerging and as advised by the posts  took a very soft brush and started working on the print. It was really a wonderful experience and after a few minutes of brushing I had a great print with absolutely clean highlights and great tonality.
> It was amazing how easy the whole process was.
> Nex day I coated a second layer of caseinate/graphite gray and exposed for 45 seconds to add some density to shadows and tone down the intense blue.
> I think I am hooked on the process and mesmerized by the ability to selectively use brushes or other tools for developing.
> FOr a long time I wanted to print on silver or gold leaf and caseine might be the ticket.
> After years of printing gum I am excited about this new process.
> Marek
> 
>> From: alt.list at albertonovo.it
>> To: alt-photo-process-list at lists.altphotolist.org
>> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:25:32 +0200
>> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: casein
>> 
>> Don, 
>> 
>>> My first home made solution of casein still reeks of ammonia. Does anyone
>>> know if that is normal? To make the solution I used common household ammonia
>>> - 3%. Should I order some Ammonia hydroxide from the Formulary? I have a
>>> lifetime supply of sodium hydroxide, would be best if I could get that to
>>> work since the am. Hydroxide has serious hazmat fees to ship. 
>>> 
>>> After leaving the jar of liquid casein uncapped for a couple of days, I came
>>> down to my darkroom to discover ants floating around in the solution. Seeing
>>> that, I recapped the solution and left it sitting on the counter. This batch
>>> was mixed on April 14th. There it still sits.
>> 
>> Are you trying to let the ammonia evaporate from the solution, probably 
>> because you dislike its smell?
>> It will take more time than it is required by the alkalinity of the solution 
>> to break the casein molecula. I prefer to use it in a few days from the 
>> preparation, or to keep it -tightly capped- in the refrigerator.
>> If you wish to prepare sodium caseinate, then use:
>> casein powder 6g
>> water 50 cc
>> sodium hydroxide 1.7% 10 cc
>> Heat with stirring at 70-80°C for 15-30 in a water bath, then cool. 
>> 
>>> Is there any pointing in considering Calcium caseinate?
>> 
>> Why to complicate your life if ammonium and sodium are enough? :-) 
>> 
>> Alberto
>> www.grupponamias.com
>> www.alternativephotography.com/wp/photographers/rodolfo-namias-group 
>> 
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