Re: gum printing

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From: Heidi Weller (ghweller@bright.net)
Date: 02/24/03-10:19:54 AM Z


Hi Gord
I use corn starch - usually Argo brand - straight from the grocery store, 1
T. per 2 c. water, and boil for 2 minutes. I add 1 tsp. alum and a couple
of drops of thymol for hardener and preservative. I usually brush on 2
coats while very hot. I have never had a problem with this size, either
with uneven/poor coverage or a shiny "unnatural" appearance that I have
heard others have experienced. I started using this recipe some time ago
after reading about it in Keepers of the Light. There was about 2 feet of
snow on the ground, and starch was the only thing I had to work with. I
have been very satisfied with the results. And it's easy.
Heidi
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon J. Holtslander <holtsg@duke.usask.ca>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 10:19 AM
Subject: Re: gum printing

> Heidi
>
> Can you give us more information on how you size using starch? What do
> you use as a starch? Does it need hardening? If so what do you harden
> with?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Gord
>
>
> On Sun, 23 Feb 2003, Heidi Weller wrote:
>
> > Hi Chris
> > I consider myself a gummist as well - that is the process I have used
almost
> > exclusively for about 15 years now. I can't say that I have ever had
> > problems with particular colors, but I do stay with certain hues because
> > they are a part of the palette I like. I use am. di. too, and a starch
> > size, and bisulfite for clearing. I usually print 16 x 20 or 20 x 24
sizes.
> > Good luck with your alt course!
> > Heidi Weller
> > Ashland, OH
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Christina Z. Anderson <zphoto@montana.net>
> > To: Alt Photo List <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> > Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 5:17 PM
> > Subject: gum printing
> >
> >
> > > Hi List,
> > > My usual barrage of questions for the week--but hey, at least I
post
> > my
> > > test results, too, huh?
> > >
> > > Gum questions:
> > > 1. Which colors absolutely do not work? I have these notes:
hooker's
> > > green (washes out), emerald green, and any chromium based colors. I've
> > loved
> > > the quinacridones in the past...moonglow by D Smith seemed to wash out
> > quite
> > > a bit but could've mixed it up wrong. Do all whites work OK and has
anyone
> > > tried a white on a dark paper?
> > > 2. Do you use am di or pot di? I learned on am di and am wondering
if it
> > > is worth it to buy some pot di. Webb/Reed say only use am di if you
can't
> > > get pot di. Hirsch says use am di. Go figure. I just want to know
what
> > > you guys use, and I do have the notes from the past about am di being
> > lower
> > > contrast/muddier but then those saying that isn't the case. Does it
boil
> > > down to what you are used to?
> > > 2a. If you diluted am di to the same percent as pot di would it be
> > > equivalent in speed?
> > > 3. What clearing agent do you use? I have come across sodium
sulfite,
> > > sodium bisulfite/metabisulfite, potassium bisulfite, and sulfuric acid
1%
> > > solution. Does sodium sulfite truly do the trick so I don't have to
> > choke?
> > > the metabi literally gives me instant asthma.
> > > 4. Has anyone used lemon juice in the sensitizer to insolubilize it,
> > > decreasing exposure and giving better midtones? (Demachy,
Photo-Aquatint,
> > > p. 39).
> > > 5. Dare I ask this, has Demachy's stain test been hashed out on this
list
> > > already or is it worth mentioning? His book is from 1898, before Paul
> > > Anderson's 1911. Is it possible to talk this out civilly? If he has
not
> > > been discussed, I can sum up his test and post it. Considering I've
only
> > > been on the list 3 yr or so, you all could have been around this block
> > > before.
> > > 6. How many gummists are there? I know Judy, Dave, Katherine, Joe,
but
> > who
> > > else isn't speaking up? Even part-timers?
> > > BTW, why I keep asking questions is I am in the starts of
developing
> > a
> > > "user friendly" alt course as to how I would teach it if given the
chance.
> > > I did it with experimental. Now I want to with alt. I've figured out
I
> > > would "hook" the students first by doing easy enlarged negs (paper,
> > > imagesetter, ink jet), start them out with instant gratification
cyanos,
> > > argyros, (then vdb, kalli, salt) to really get them hooked, then get
into
> > > easy one coat gum with spray starch or acrylic sizing, then teach such
> > > things as better enlarged negs, better sizing, etc. afterward, before
> > > progressing into the more expensive platinum/palladium/zia. The
biggest
> > > whines I hear is "it's so time consuming, I can't stand gelatin
dripping
> > all
> > > over, I don't have any good large negs, etc." Kinda like the view
> > > camera--forget the zone stuff in the beginning, get them out there
fooling
> > > around with the camera til they get seduced by the large neg and
camera
> > > movements, and then go thru the complex stuff. They have to know
"what's
> > in
> > > it for them" first. My philosophy for the day (of course, 10
processes in
> > > one semester is probably total overload).
> > > Chris
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Gordon J. Holtslander Dept. of Biology
> holtsg@duke.usask.ca 112 Science Place
> http://duke.usask.ca/~holtsg University of Saskatchewan
> Tel (306) 966-4433 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
> Fax (306) 966-4461 Canada S7N 5E2
> ---------------------------------------------------------
>
>


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