From: Dave Rose (cactuscowboy@attbi.com)
Date: 01/29/03-04:25:56 PM Z
Dear Claudia,
I've printed gum for years, using a wide range of different pigments and
varying ratios of gum/sensitizer/pigment. I routinely test a new
combination by making a small print from a 4x5 B&W negative with a Kodak
T-14 control scale attached alongside. The B&W negative is a scene
photographed in Pennsylvania - a frozen waterfall. It's a negative that
prints beautifully on Grade 2 B&W paper. The wide range of tones and fine
detail in this "perfect negative" make it ideal for producing test prints
and making preliminary aesthetic judgements. The Kodak T-14 scale offers a
very precise and analytical way to evaluate contrast, overall exposure and
density.
Most of my gum prints range from 8x10 to 16x20 inches, made with enlarged
negatives. But my 'Pennsylvania waterfall' test prints now number over 100
and they make a fascinating series. Some are strange, e.g. an intense
yellow print with poor apparent contrast and a color that's "all wrong".
Others are simply beautiful, like a one-coat test print made from carbon
black that exhibits excellent contrast, density and clear detail. 4x5
negatives are more than adequate for making excellent gum prints. Your copy
negatives should work just as well as camera-original or enlarged negatives.
In an earlier posting, Lee referred to learning gum printing this summer
during what I presume is a workshop ("Dan in Montana"). That's a great way
to get started, but it's certainly possible to learn gum printing out of a
book. I started printing gum using recipes published in The Keepers Of
Light, by William Crawford, over ten years ago. I had good results from the
beginning. With a little testing and some experience, I was soon making
exceptionally beautiful prints.
Gum printing is an exciting process that offers a tremendous degree of
control and seemingly unlimited creative possibilities. It's great to see
people on this list express interest in trying it.
Best regards,
Dave Rose
Cactus Cowboy
Big Wonderful Wyoming
----- Original Message -----
From: "Claudia Lorenz" <clorenz@telusplanet.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 1:02 PM
Subject: first gums
> I'm eager to try some gum printing, but admittedly find myself stuck at
the negative stage. Does anyone have any experience from using a B&W neg
(4x5) that has been made from an existing B&W print? I have easy access to
copy negatives, and think this might be the route to go. I don't have a
good enough printer to attempt making my own at this point. Any advice is
appreciated,
>
> Claudia
>
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