Risa, if your exposure is getting through *masking* tape, you are using an
atom bomb. Cut down your exposure by about 500% -- and try Scotch, or
clear cellophane tape, which will usually leave a mark, but very slight.
(Well I mean Scotch tape, not Scotch, which would possibly be
counter-productive.)
I agree, though, that taping the print in position, once registered, is
far superior to the whole cockamamie business with the register pins & the
specially-made contact frames to accomodate them. When gum printing gets
as equipment-dependent as a high-concept gym, it loses some of its charm.
> re: paper negatives. there must be an outline of the paper, to llx14, on
> your prints. after the first exposure, if you are using the same negative to
> do multiple exposures, and if your paper is sized sufficiently, wouldn't
> this outline be enough to achieve registration? may be a naive question,
This assumes that the image is positioned identically on each of several
negatives, in cases where there are several negatives, which it may not
be. Also that you can always see that outline, which sometimes you can't,
such as with dark, heavy coat over a light coat. But it may be the
easiest, barring such impediments.
Two other ways: Put your paper negative over your coated print and
register on a light table. With cool white fluorescents in the fixture
it won't affect the print until after a week or so.....
Or, you can register all paper negatives (film ones, either) initially by
drawing lines from center of back of negative to border of print on all
four sides. Match up these lines each time you re-register. Putting the
lines at the center rather than the edges means that if there is some
weaseling or waffling of the paper you start registering from center
(presumably area of greatest interest) and let edges fall where they will.
Main risk with this method is putting paper on upside down. (Effect can
be cute, but usually isn't.)
Judy