From: Christina Z. Anderson (zphoto@montana.net)
Date: 11/22/02-10:15:32 AM Z
Hi all,
My usual posting about mordancage for those who care (Ann, Nate, Jon,
Cor, and lurkers who haven't come forward!):
This week I taught 28 students the process. It was fun as usual. I
mixed up the following formula:
15g copper chloride
80ml glacial acetic
to 1 liter of water
and added equal vols of that to 20 v hydrogen peroxide. It didn't move too
quickly so I upped the copper chloride closer to the usual 30 g per liter I
use, so we wouldn't be waiting 6 mn per print (I was trying to save a bit of
$$ by using the lesser amount of copper chloride, which is expensive). I
also kept the redeveloping dektol 1:5 instead of 1:2. The students rinsed
the prints probably just a minute or two before redeveloping in dektol.
Room lights were on the whole time. No one fixed their prints after the
process. All papers worked, but I have to say regular old Ilford is the
quickest. Even the selenium toned images worked. All their prints were
hardened, too, and they all worked. In this formula it takes about 30 secs
to 1 1/2 min to etch the print. Again, the highlights to midtones redevelop
as normal, and only the blacks are affected, so your print remains positive
except in the blacks.
The interesting thing is we got no staining--fiber and rc. I am now
positive that the lower volume of h.p is most responsible for staining,
because it etches the whole face of the print with its oxidizing power
instead of just the blacks. But that coupled with lower dektol dilution and
lower copper chloride also contributes, so my initial theory about all the
causes remains intact. Of course, if you don't rinse off the mordancage
solution and immediately put it in the dektol you will get automatic stain,
so the chemical contamination is still a strong factor. But we did not rinse
our prints fully between steps.
It is much easier for me to test variables when teaching--when you see
100 prints all laying out to dry on the counters and none have stain, it
beats the maybe 15 prints you yourself can do in a day of testing! And as
usual, even tho the students groaned about having to learn the process (it's
getting close to final project time and they are losing steam, plus I made
them all shoot specifically for the mordancage assignment with subject
matter that would fit the disintegration process, or I told them I wouldn't
let them do it and waste my chemicals...aren't I harsh???) by the end of lab
they were all still there mordancaging every print they had in their
possession and their dog.... It is truly addictive.
Nate are you still there and doing well?
Peter Marshall, would it be possible to see the McFadden article? I
still have yet to get copper sulfate to work effectively for me, even with
nitric acid. It is a pain in the butt.
I have been hand coloring the mordancages and they look very nice, btw.
The etching actually allows glossy paper to have a bit of tooth and so
marshall oils will stick.
Chris
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