Re: gum/carbon size ?

Risa S. Horowitz (babbleon@terraport.net)
Fri, 10 May 1996 12:44:08 -0400

Hi Robert
This is very interesting, since I have only printed 12x18 (on paper 15x22),
and now am beginning to consider printing as small as 8x10. This is for
financial and space reasons, of course.
I don't know what too difficult means, by the books. Working large was quite
wonderful for me, tho I suspect that by going smaller my prints will have
much finer grain. I also found that manipulation seemed as if it were much
more open on a large size, since the details are larger to work with (if
that makes any sense at all!). I use sponges, brushes and water spray to
manipulate the colors, and I know that by going smaller I will have to go to
smaller sponges, and be a lot more careful.

With respect to coating the paper. Of course, the problem always exists of
coating fastfastfast, since over such a large area the gum stiffens almost
as soon as you begin brushing it seems! I am overexagerating a little. I've
used both Hake brushes of varying sizes, and foam. Though I achieved a
degree of profficiency with the brushes, once I started using foam things
became alot easier. I still, however, have a problem with the dense foam
soaking up too much of the solutions, and end up worrying about putting too
much pressure on my paper. Someone mentioned the boogy-woogie over the
coating table, and it definitely applies - using ones entire body to coat.

How I coat my gums though, is different than how I coat my cyanos for
example. Using foam with cyanos, I pick up the solution with the brush, and
start spreading from the centre out, making larger and larger sweeps. With
gum, I pour the solution into a small puddle in the middle of the page, and
then (quickly) spread it out using larger sweeps.

But, I don't have the comparison from large to small yet. (ahem, Risa's
excuse for the day :))
take care
Risa

>Hi people,
>Most of my reading and study indicates that "most" people make relatively
>small gum prints. "The Books" say big ones are too dificult.
>Do any of you make large gum prints, 11 x 14, 16 x 20 or bigger?
>Are ther special problem with these sizes?
>I guess the same question applies to cabon prints especially on
>homemade tissue. Making 16 x 20 tissue must be a baer!
>Lookin for feedback about big !!!
>Thanks
>Robert Newcomb
>
>