> Dennis,
> Yes, please send me the complete list, as I inadvertantly deleted it.
> Many thanks,
You're welcome. Any additions/corrections/additional info. on the
listed papers are welcome.
------------------------
The following photographic papers have all been mentioned as
suitable for the bromoil process. Quoted comments are sometimes edited.
PAPERS WITH NO INFORMATION AS YET:
---------------------------------
Argenta Mural (out of production)
Guilleminot Zitratpapier (out of production)
Ilfobrome Semi-matte
Luminos RD Matte Bromide
SupreBrome Royal Portrait Matte
Ultrabrom Script
AGFA PORTRIGA RAPID NO. 118
---------------------------
Description: Fiber base with warm blacks and whites. High silver
content, warm chlorobromide emulsion. Glossy or semi-matte,
grades 2 & 3. Heat dry for best results.
Comments: none
CHEN-FU
-------
Made by: a company in Taiwan
Comments:
- Klaus Pollmeier: disappointed / could not keep highlights white because
ink would not lift from these (or any other) areas.
- Henk Thijs: reporting on tests by three members of the Bromoil Circle
(England): 'All of us gave the usual treatment - 20 C soak for
3-5 minutes. The paper accepted ink with ease. All tonal values
were there- pure whites, mid greys and blacks. resoak from time
to time necessary. Very gentle dabbing action to lift ink from
highlights.' "They noticed no big difference in the treatment
compared to Kentmere DocArt."
- Terry King: "We made bromoils using Chen Fu glossy and matt.
They worked well using softer ink [than for Kentmere Document Art]
but we concluded that the matte needed a softer negative."
FOTOKEMIKA BROMOIL
------------------
Made by: Fotokemika Company, Croatia
Description: Resin-coated.
Comments:
- Henk Thijs: 1) "I only can say that the Fotokemika paper is behaving
in a sense mentioned in the old bromoil books. You clearly see the
relief, eyes are jumping out of the paper!, inking is really easy
compared with all the other papers."
2) "Hard to ink in the highlights." - Preparing with artist's
turpentine is a remedy.
- Klaus Pollmeier: 1) "I got a coinlike relief at 68 F allready and a
very delicate surface that was scratched at the slightest touch with
my finger nail or other papers. But although it was obviously
overswollen, it could be inked up - very carefully ;-) - and gave a
good black, although a lot of highlight texture was lost even if it
was exposed to a certain grey. But the biggest disappointment for me
was: It is a resin coated paper. This may make it suitable for bromoil
transfer if it is hardened a little more, or probably perfect for
carbro, as it certainly is not supercoated, but I don't like plastic
as final support for my photographs :-(
2) "If you like bromoils on plastic, it really is good to work with,
although the emulsion swells to a coin-like relief even in 20C water...
You will have to work carefully as the gelatin is scratched easily."
- Per Volledal: "The Fotokemika Bromoil paper is not easy to use. It is,
however, suitable for emulsion transfer. It is extremely sensitive to
temperatures."
ILFORD MULTIGRADE FB
--------------------
Description: Exhibition quality. Achieves 12 contrast grades. Glossy,
Matte or Stipple.
Comments:
- Henk Thijs: "Fair results after a special treatment."
KENTMERE PAPERS
===============
Made by: Kentmere Ltd., UK
a) 'ART DELUXE'
-----------
Description: Double-weight.
Comments:
- Per Volledal: "The norwegian agent says the emulsion is similar to
Document Art. It is not. It is harder to ink, and looks a little
different."
b) 'DOCUMENT ART'
--------------
Description: Single-weight. Luminos markets 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, and
rolls; grades #2, #3.
Manufactured in the UK; marketed in the USA by Luminos as
"Luminos SW-ART" or "Luminos Classic SW ART," [ Which is it? ].
According to Henk Thijs, Document Art paper is what David Lewis in
Canada sells too.
There is some argument on the Alt-Photo-Process mailing list as
to whether it is truly non-supercoated or not (the majority saying
it is not supercoated), but the important thing is that it works well
for some people.
See Appendix A. for Klaus Pollmeier's step-by-step description of how
he makes bromoils using this paper.
{ not included in this post }
Comments:
- Klaus Pollmeier: "The texture of the KENTMERE Art Document paper
(or Luminos SW-ART) was changed about two years ago from a natural
semi-smooth surface to an embossed -stippled- surface with tiny holes
in the surface. I was very disappointed about this, as these holes
can show up as dark dots in the bromoil print, esp. if inked up with
a brayer. With grainy images from heavy brush work, they may not be
so easily visible."
- Terry King: "There is the analogy of Gloy gum used for gum printing.
We are using it for a purpose for which it was not intended, while it
works, don't knock it. The new Document Art works for bromoil; I found
that I needed just a little more persistence and patience. Watercolour
paper coated with Kentmere's light sensitive silver gelatine emulsion,
available from Silverprint, also works.
- Terry King: "We made bromoils using the new Kentmere Document Art which
we found worked well with hard ink in the shadows and soft ink in the
highlights."
- Klaus Pollmeier: "Maybe you will need one or two resoaking steps to get
a big print inked up completetly, but it works. Another tip: If the
highlights start to get grey because the paper starts getting dry, move
the print face down into the steam over a pot with cooking water for
1-2 minutes. Roll over it then with a foam brayer or use the fast
'hopping' action with the brush and - that's it."
c) 'Etch/Bleach' paper
-------------------
Comments:
- Peter Marshall: "Kentmere also do a non-supercoated etch/bleach paper
which has a smooth surface with a very slight texture nothing like the
Art, and a thick rich gelatin layer that might be more suitable for
carbro, the only problem is it is rather contrasty. I have used it for
bromoil, apart from being a bit punchy it worked fine. Anyway its worth
a try, ...."
d) 'KENTINT'
---------
According to someone on the list, a Kentmere or Luminos rep. says
Kentint papers are non-supercoated. I've read no mention of anyone
making bromoil prints with them.
Description: (listed as "Pastels" under Luminos papers)
"Resin coated black image on colored background or as a positive
colored image on black background. Antique Ivory, Red, Light Blue,
Lt. Yellow, and Grey."
Comments:
- Peter Marshall: "Kentint, as the name suggests is a range of coloured
(red, orange, amber, yellow, pastel yellow, green, blue, mid-blue,
reflex blue, pastel blue, grey, ivory and silver)base paper. I think
these are now only on RC base.
KODAK ELITE FINE ART
--------------------
Description: "Silver-rich fine art paper, premium weight. Neutral black
tone. High lustre surface."
Comments: none
KODAK POLYCONTRAST RC III, N (matte)
----------------------------
Description: Expanded selective contrast range. 0-5 grades. Fast speed
developer incorporated for rapid processing.
Comments:
- Sandy King: "works very well for carbro."
LUMINOS SW-ART
--------------
- see Kentmere papers.