Woodburytypes

Terry King (101522.2625@compuserve.com)
Sun, 27 Apr 1997 19:26:26 -0400

Message text written by Darryl Baird
>
But how is it made? Is the "negative" random dots, continuous tone, or
???

>What is the surface under the gelatin made of ... wood?
>
>Is the beauty of the process the quality derived from lead sheet
>impressions?

>So many questions. Sorry.

Darryl
<

The image, in pigfmented gelatine, is produced from the lead mould in the
same way as is a jelly ( jello ) shape from a jelly mould so there is no
screen and no dot. The relief is high at first but, on drying, the
relief is very much reduced but the amount of pigment remains the same. A
carbon print is comparable.

There is a long description of the process in the 1890 Encyclopaedia of
Photography edited by Walter E Woodbury who was, I believe, the son of
Walter B Wood bury who developed the process.

To me the best Woodburytypes are the equal of the best that any other
process can produce

There are likely to be four Woodburytype specialists at the Bath symposium
and a presentation on the process . I am not sure what percentage that is
of the world population of Woodburytypists but it must be pretty high.

Terry King