jewelia (jewelia@erols.com)
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 07:28:37 -0800
i have learned to accomodate a lot of delicate papers in my photo work
too--washi et al--besides on the press. when the paper is really delicate i
do one of two things--generally i prefer to use the flat bottom Cisco trays
but this is more a psycho thing because i really doubt the usual troughs in
pattersons or whatever else would really hurt the paper. but
anyway--lifting paper out of fluid is always really stressful on the psyche
of those poor little paper fibers due to the surface tension of the fluid
that exerts a lot of added force in addition to the weight of the paper and
all that wonderful goo it just soaked up. i usually get away with using
large beakers--2000 ml ones so i can pour quick and easy into the open
mouths --instead of lifting out the paper--i just pour out the juice being a
little careful not to do it so fast that i cause the paper to do what you
don't want it to do--it is much less stress generally to peel the paper out
of the emptied trays--HOWEVERS--
some papers stick too badly or are still too delicate for this--in these
cases i lay a peice of fiberglass screen in the bottom of the tray--i cut
them so the sort of wedge in against the sides and make some pull tabs--i
use whatever plastic scraps i have in the trash can at the time and a little
super glue--makes it just a little easier to work with gloves on --not a big
problem otherwise--but anyhow i still poor off the juice generally and lift
the paper and screen out as a unit--the paper will attach well enough to the
screen--if you need to you might need to do a little straightening--i then
just let it dry out about half way on the screen--til its good enough as
Immogen used to say--most of the time i then put it in my blotters to finish
off--
BLOTTERS---most of these really delicate papers need it--i suppose for some
cases--like platinum, etc.. you could use the iron or drymount press--but
why? i always wonder--printers use blotters lots and rather than waste too
much on some "photo-consumer rip-off" any store--including the suppliers we
have been discussing that sells printing papers likely sells Cosmos Blotters
they are pretty cheap--22x30 sheets are roughly $1.00 -$1.50--if you take
care of them--they last forever--to protect the blotters they usually put a
cheap piece of interleaving tissue over the print because inks can transfer
since they never really dry--you can avoid this generally though by letting
things get almost dry before you sandwich things. you need a little
pressure on your blotter stackall the time--my usual blotters are cut in
half and my blotter stack looks like two 3/4" sheets of plywood several
inches bigger in both directions bound with some bungee cords--hey works for
me!
to accomodate a lot of papers i do a lot of external sizing--i mean this is
something i do as a regular part of my thinking about my image anyway--i
turn my sizing sessions into a sort of meditation ritual i suppose--that
works for me pretty well too but that's another story for another
day--regards-jewelia
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