From: Julian Smart (julian@jsmart.fslife.co.uk)
Date: 02/25/03-04:11:43 PM Z
Judy wrote:
Of course even maven gum printers disagree -- for
instance Julian Smart says he "previsualizes" gum -- I tend to work ad
hoc, letting the process/results guide me. That's probably as much
personality as the medium-- I find gum more generous when I let in the
surprises.
Judy,
thanks for the "maven" moniker- never thought of myself as such, but
flattering nonetheless :~)
My interest in gum printing lies in its almost chameleon like ability to be
all things to all people. It offers the free thinking and creative
printmaker the chance to reproduce almost exactly his or her thoughts on the
subject at the time of taking the picture. Whereas a platinum, silver or
cyanotype print is mostly one dimensional, the many layers, depths and
colour contrasts available to a gum printer can reflect the thought and
feeling that went into taking the original picture on film. I may be
contentious here, but isn't this what pictorialism is all about?
I want my print to be an honest reflection of my ideas and to that end have
to fix the print in my mind as I take the shot.
I can't get TOO serious about it, though, after all it is a mechanical
process with all the minor errors and aberations that implies- I never
retouch specks or spots or use an eraser. I leave blemishes as a by product
of the process but if a particular colour/coat doesn't behave as visualised
it comes straight off again. The character and to some extent the beauty of
any process is the sum of all its petty foibles. That said, I always
overmount the edge brush strokes on a finished print.
Of course there are times when what you produce is better than you had
expected, but that is a different matter altogether- who amongst gum
printers has not said that the particular accidental effect was not
deliberate (should really say here, who HAS admitted to accidents)?
But like I said, gum printing is all things to all people, but most of my
friends just yawn.......
Julian.
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