From: Christina Z. Anderson (zphoto@montana.net)
Date: 07/13/03-06:41:03 PM Z
Thanks, Hamish, for the encouragement.
In reference to ammonium dichromate: I had previously posted, to a
question about gum clearing, the fact that one book said you could put the
print in the sun for a couple hours and the yellow dichromate stain would
clear out of the print. This seemed so weird, so I took a pot di and an am
di print, put half of both under a cutting board, so I could see any
difference, and put them outside for the afternoon. Interestingly, the pot
di DID disappear! But the am di didn't. The book that said this tip was
written during the time when pot bi was the di used, and (even tho I didn't
leave the print outside for a couple days) to say that sun will clear
dichromate stain is not exactly true--but close! However, it really doesn't
make a whit of dif because the potassium metabisulfite does the job to
both.Or alum, hyposulfite, sodium sulfite, etc. etc.
What I realized from this test (seeing that I wouldn't ever leave a
precious print to the elements outside as my method of clearing choice) is
that if someone is used to pot bi (di) and makes a switch, am di "seems" to
present problems.
I have been madly trying to crank out gum prints a la Berger to bring
to APIS for show and tell. I can't say my prints are perfect yet, but I
have come a LONNNNG way since I started working with this method. But I
would never say it was the best gum method out there, just another
possibility, and especially good to get students hooked on the process, and
then go to more complex methods later.
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hamish Stewart" <hamish.stewart@gumphoto.demon.co.uk>
To: "Alt Photo List" <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 5:20 PM
Subject: GUM TESTING
> Chris, Katherine, Sandy and others...
>
>
> I have been reading with great interest the series of threads on gum
> printing and I really appreciate Chris sharing her tests and thanks to
> everyone who contributed to the discussions.
>
> Reading all this has reminded me of how easy it is to accept what one
reads
> somewhere, or is told is the 'wrong' type of dichromate to use. What I
find
> particularly useful is that the recent threads answer at least for me why
> some of the misconceptions may have arisen in the first place.
>
> I started with amm dich and when I switched from using BL tubes to the sun
I
> did experience problems with dichromate stain. Coming across comments that
> amm dich stained badly I switched to pot, which I now use with a HID metal
> halide light and have no problems. Looking back to earlier prints I
suspect
> that the real reason for the stain was more to do with overexposure than
any
> inherent staining caused by the choice of dichromate.
>
> Katherine's comments and those of others who have contributed to the
> discussion have encouraged me to consider exploring amm dich again, or at
> least consider using both for different effect.
>
> I regret that I will be unable to attend APIS, which would have been a
great
> chance to meet up with a few other gum printers and see Stuart Melvin's
> work. Hopefully next time!
>
> Recently I have been working very intensely with a lot of new material,
> whilst also shifting from wet process negative making to digital - so it
has
> been a busy time :-)
>
> Thanks again for all the gum discussion
>
> Regards
> Hamish
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Hamish Stewart - Gum Bichromate Photographer - visit
> <http://www.gumphoto.fsnet.co.uk>
> for gum bichromate images, technical information and links to recommended
> resources on alternative photographic processes.
> mailto:<hamish.stewart@gumphoto.demon.co.uk>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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