>
>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.
>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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And yet another method of registration:
I attach the negative to a "window" of rubylith and cut out half inch squares
in each corner (of just the red film, not the acetate). Into each small
square I apply a crosshair registration mark (tape variety though transfer
type can work with a coating of rubber cement) , cocking one at 45° to avoid
the cute upside down effect. In addition, it helps keeps things emulsion to
emulsion when the Scotch is not tape...
The registration marks are applied to the sized paper over a light box and
because I mask off the image area each time I coat, the crosshairs are
clearly visable. The coated paper is also aligned over a light box with a
sheet of ruby lith taped to the box to block the image area. Haven't had any
problems from light box exposure syndrome. I use Scotch Drafting Tape #230 to
attach the flat to the paper, no marks, no tearing.
After the final development the registration marks can be easily removed
while the paper is wet. No pins, no holes.
Carole Hollander