[alt-photo] Re: sizing options for color gum

[Diana Bloomfield]

Thanks, Peter.

I actually did all but #3 on your list.  Honestly, I don't even think  
I own an iron (and don't plan on buying one any time soon).

The final coat  (unsized) was actually fine; I certainly would have  
had no problem exhibiting it.  In a side-by-side comparison, though, I  
simply didn't like it as much as the one I made with a thin coating of  
PVA, so -- as stated before-- I'll happily go back to using that.  My  
preference is subjective, for sure; I could have shown it to someone  
else, and he/she may have liked the other better.

And I don't actually find using PVA a problem-- at all.  It's non- 
toxic, relatively inexpensive, lasts forever, extraordinarily easy to  
use, doesn't leave a shine when I apply it, and takes very little time  
to apply (certainly less time than ironing-- though, at this point, I  
can barely remember what ironing is like??).

Thanks again.

Diana

On Jan 17, 2012, at 8:35 AM, Peter Blackburn wrote:

>
> Just a brief follow up on this portion of Diana's comment,  "I know  
> you're already aware of all this, and this isn't specifically
>> what you asked--  but I also recently printed an image on Fabriano
>> soft-press without sizing all, using what was only in the paper.  It
>> did really well, though I felt the third coat wasn't as "clean" as I
>> would have preferred-- so I just went back to using the PVA.  I just
>> know for sure, using that, that I won't have a problem." My  
>> suggestions would be 1) be certain the chosen pigments are capable  
>> of printing "clean" on out-of-the-package Fabriano if brilliant  
>> highlights are desired. 2) be certain the paper is completely dry  
>> between coats, and 3) before applying an additional coat, try  
>> ironing the paper with the iron set on a midrange heat selection.  
>> AKD is a type of synthetic wax which "melts" under heat. Ironing  
>> the paper will restore a bit of smoothness while rejuvenating the  
>> residing AKD in the paper.  Cheers everyone!
> Peter J. Blackburn