Drtikol Pigment Prints

Grafist@aol.com
Sat, 24 May 1997 07:15:27 -0400 (EDT)

Hi Alexis, I noted your search for pigment printing techniques........you
wrote:-

<thanks, but what I really need is a book on the technique, as the current
<Drtikol show here is quite large. even has some silver prints he did to
<give a similar look to the pigment prints, (thisIi can already do..I'm
<wanting the alt process method.

I have seen REPRODUCTIONS in books of much of the work of Drtikol but I have
never seen anything remotely relevant to his pigment printing technique in
books. I suspect that we may only guess what Drtikol used, but as Dennis
Klinker mentions, the publication "PHOTOGRAPHIE DER MODERNE IN PRAG 1900 -
1925" does contain a wide range of what look like pigment prints, gum prints
etc., all coming within what I would describe as "Photo Impressionist
Techniques". i.e. processes which allow or enable the artist to manipulate or
depart from the literal recording of the scene infront of the camera. Some
photographers, of course, have managed to alter that scene by the use of
lenses but I feel we are really concerned, here, with finding out about
methods of alternative photo printing outside of work which is usually done
as an adjunct to the printing and publishing industry. I have found that
Pigment Prints where the original paper texture is very much part of the
print character very seductive, visually, but nothing much is available
commercially as a photographic package to enable artists to do the prints
themselves.
I f you send me your location address I will send you a
sample of the Direct Carbon Gelatine paper which I coat for my own use. I
hope it may be what you are looking for.
Regards for now. John Grocott-Photographist.