Now for something completely different (from gum)

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From: Darryl Baird (dbaird@umflint.edu)
Date: 07/28/03-03:31:07 PM Z


Well not exactly different, but a switch in sensitizer... cyanotype in
gum arabic.

During a testing phase my wife Janet and I are conducting (for an artist
book project), we decided to make transparent cyanotypes. Surfaces we
tested include silk, vellum, hand-waxed papers, and glass. We've gotten
more excited about glass than others, but vellum is easy to pull off and
almost transparent enough for the project... a keeper certainly, but for
later. Getting the cyanotypes onto the glass proved more problematic. So
far, mixing cyano with gum arabic provided the best. most even coating
and images. The problem lies with "developing" the image after exposure.
The whole emulsion layer tends to wash (float) off during immersion in
water.

Any thoughts? How can I harden the gum or improve its "grip" on the
glass surface? Could I lightly spray the image with water to removed
unexposed cyano? The image looked really good according to janet... I
was out getting some mulch wouldn't you know it.

--Darryl Baird


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