Re: gum & gloy

Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Sun, 25 Feb 1996 19:11:16 -0500 (EST)

On Fri, 23 Feb 1996 LESMD@aol.com wrote:
> I have two questions:
> 1) What's Gloy and where does one go to get it (perhaps to the gloy store)?
> 2) How do you do "brush development" to transform lith film into continuous
> tone negatives?

I understand that once something goes out on the Internet it's in a
permanent archive forever, thus I perhaps foolhardily admit, Larry, I
could not make Gloy produce a continuous-tone gum print without BRUSHING,
whatever Terry King, Peter Fredrick, Peter Marshal (notice the Brits
sticking together) claim. I do not know a States-side product which seems
comparable, but perhaps some local fiend or other will make a
suggestion... (I imported the Gloy I tested specially for the occasion.
But let me suggest that you NOT listen to these mad Englishmen and get
regular lithographer's gum-14 which is not the least bit temperamental in
the States, however it may appear to gloyalty in the UK.)

But afore-mentioned brushing in "development" of a gum print is not like
"brush development" of lith film in a weak developer (such as Dektol 1:10)
to get even darks with continuous tone. Said weak developer tends to
mottled effects in areas that need much development, and vigorous tray
rocking tends to edge-build-up and high-contrast. Thus, take a wide soft
brush (I use an outdated 3" Static Master, you could use hake brush, or
even plain wide flat bristle brush, astonishingly it won't scratch) and,
instead of agitating, brush first one way, then the other across film
lying emulsion-up in tray. For more contrast, brush faster, for less, brush
slower.

I note, BTW, that brush development in one form or another was also used
by early film sensitometrists for critical exposure and development tests.

Judy