Paper: Crane's Kid White (no additional sizeing)
Sensitizer: 25% Ferric Ammonium Citrate
Exposure: Print frame 6 cm from a bank of six F15T8 350BL bulbs, times
7-10 min.
Negatives: 4x5 originals and 8x10 derived. Negatives were contrasty and
somewhat dense. About what you would use for cyanotype.
Developer: 1/2% Gold Chloride
Development via a paint roller, using a new (disposable)
roller for each print.
For 4x5, 3" roller, 20 cc. of solution required.
For 8x10, 9" roller, (smooth) 80 cc. solution required.
Notes: The density range of the prints is not as great as a platinotype
but does approach that of a cyanotype. The tone is a definate
blue-black (more blue than black). Some prints show lavender
in the shadows. In some respects they are not unlike Siegal-
toned cyanotypes.
Suggestions: The paint roller works better than a brush (I tried a brush)
but it soaks up a lot of gold chloride. I have seen, in
paint store, a small, touch-up spray bottle with a disposable
air canister that looks like it would hold about 100 cc.
of solution. Something like that could be used to try
spray development (air brush?). However, I don't know
if I would want to spray gold chloride without some kind
of protection.
Finally, I understand that Hershell invented this process. Can someone
give me a reference on that? Was it the astronomer? Does anyone know
what these prints are called other than "gold prints."
Bob Schramm