From: Carl Weese (cweese@earthlink.net)
Date: 12/03/00-09:33:23 AM Z
Nick,
'Extravagatype' is a playful name I coined for this method while writing
the text of "The New Platinum Print". The method uses a sensitiser of
ammonium ferric oxalate combined with either the standard develop-out
platinum salt, or the Mike Ware POP-style ammonium platinum salt. The
method is not POP. After coating, the sheet is dried thoroughly: this is
the only noble-metals method I know that wants to be printed bone-dry
and gives poor to dismal results if there's any moisture in the sheet
during exposure. After printing, the sheet is developed by brushing on a
small amount of glycering/developer mixture. Potassium oxalate and 'cold
bath' both work, others probably do as well. Development goes on
gradually for as long as five minutes.
Aside from silly bragging rights about a pure platinum print, there are
real advantages to this method. The color is unique and very complex.
Close value separations are very high while overall scale is moderate.
Teaching beginners introductory platinum workshops, when I have the
students try a full range of Pt/Pd printing methods, more often than not
the best print they take home with them is an extravagatype. And of
course since palladium prices have about tripled in the past few years,
it isn't even comparatively all that extravagant any more.
---Carl
-- Website with online galleries and workshop information at: http://home.earthlink.net/~cweese/
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