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

[Diana Bloomfield]

Hey Chris,

As I've said before, my use of PVA is so minimal that it's as though  
I've not used anything at all, except that all the layers are  
"clean."  And, as also mentioned before, I've only had to dilute it  
when making relatively large prints.  Since people seem to have such  
varying experiences with it, I have to believe that the paper used  
must make a huge difference, too.  I never really liked Fabriano hot  
press paper-- while smooth, it just seemed too flimsy to me and had no  
depth to it.  I much preferred the 300 lb  hot press to the 190 lb.    
But when I started using Rives BFK, I liked that so much better.  The  
prints seemed softer (in a good way-- for my work, anyway), and I like  
the sort of linen type background it has.  Now I mostly use the  
Fabriano soft-press, which has more texture (than the Fabriano hot- 
press).  There's something about a little bit of texture to a paper  
that just seems to give an image more depth (to my mind).

So I really think the choice of paper must make a difference, as well  
as (possibly) the environment.   I work in a relatively humid  
environment here (in NC), and my tap water, which is fairly alkaline  
in my area (and never ever seems to come out of the tap cold, but  
always tepid)-- has to be very different from what you experience in  
Montana, for instance.  I'm not really sure that would make a  
difference in coating with PVA, but I do know that we had a couple of  
unseasonably cold dry days here recently.  I have a wood stove in my  
studio, and with that going, and the weather-- all that dryness made  
the coating a little more difficult.  I really hadn't had to use a  
humidifier in a long while.

Anyway . . . those are my theories on why PVA seems to offer such  
varying experiences for people.  Of course, I also think that we all  
get used to a certain way that works for us and just don't see the  
point in making a change.  And I really do think that there's  
something about us where we firmly believe that if something is too  
easy and works too well (especially for a process like gum)-- well,  
can that possibly be right, or even good??  ;)


Diana
On Jan 18, 2012, at 8:34 AM, Christina Anderson wrote:

>
> OH SHOOT tho, I have to follow the subject line and that is, that it  
> is a PITA to prefer gelatin size and I wish I didn't feel that way.  
> The time it takes often outweighs its benefit over PVA.
>
> My biggest concern (probably only concern) is whether ultimately the  
> layer of gum will be as stable on the PVA paper as it is with  
> gelatin size. We have gum prints from 100 years ago that are  
> perfect, and I see no problem with the PVA sized prints yet.
>
> And I don't prefer the feel of it much.
>
> So ultimately I think it is just an issue of getting used to a  
> different feel and practice.
>
> If I didn't feel it was a good size I wouldn't be teaching it...
>
> Thanks so much for sharing your notes about it, Henry. At least  
> there is another soul out there who feels the same and I'm not nuts.
>
> Oh, one more thing. Formalin, huh. You know what I wonder? All this  
> worry about using formalin in a well-ventilated room. I wonder how  
> medical schools deal with the cadaver situation--do they worry about  
> toxicity like we do.
>
> Now I really gotta go to work.
> Chris
>