[Alt-photo] Re: gum tip

[Loris Medici]

Indeed, doing it continuously and especially in a group environment is the
most productive and beneficial method of learning, it's like being able to
do tens of experiments simultaneously, and it's FUN!

Quite a schedule you have there, may it be easy!

Regards,
Loris.


2013/5/6 Christina Anderson <christinazanderson at gmail.com>
>
> Loris,
> Yes, I was quite surprised by this eraser tip. I have never tried it and
don't know why it works! If I want to remove a gum layer it has been with
the Scotch Brite pad (this kind of dark green scratchy 1/4" thin pad).
>
> I always learn from my students. They ask me questions all the time I
have no answers for and I tell them to find out for me! I used to worry
that I didn't have enough time to teach them everything I wanted them to
know but have since found out that left to their own devices they will make
beautiful discoveries I can never imagine. The only common denominator--the
ONLY one--I have found to exist with my students who do the best gum work
is time. The old Nike slogan of "Just Do It." That's why I find workshops
really helpful, e.g. the Photographer's Formulary. There are no
distractions and one can work on gum from 9AM to 9PM all week long, while
being fed. No life worries, just gum printing. I figure about 60 hours of
solid work. Wouldn't it be cool if college could be organized like this???
>
> I got a funny lesson in "just doing it" though, the other day while
making a casein print. I had used some sodium carbonate in a tray of water
to speed along a recalcitrant print, and decided to add some very hot water
to help it even further. The whole layer, with the alkalinity and hot
water, whooshed off! So I imagine that would be an even quicker trip with a
gum print being that gum is much less hardy than casein. I use hot water
development with casein all the time but never have used the two in
combination. The good thing: I didn't waste paper, just dried it and used
it again.
>
> FofO prints coming along nicely! 17 images, 51 negatives, red and yellow
layers so far. I have a time schedule of Wednesday to finish 10 so I'm
quite...inspired...or perhaps a forced death march.
> Chris
>
> Christina Z. Anderson
> christinaZanderson.com
>
> On May 6, 2013, at 2:29 AM, Loris Medici wrote:
>
>> Nice tip Christina, good to know. OTOH it makes me nervous; I thought
>> hardened and dried gum was quite strong. Does this work with most
pigment?
>>
>> We are all students at different levels. There are times that one knows
too
>> much; it can obstruct the way to creativity. Can't speak for all, but in
my
>> case, I find students are usually more creative than the instructor... ;)
>>
>> Good luck with FoO prints.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Loris.