Re: About softening gelatin.

Sandy ,

This is just a suggestion what about leaving it in cold distilled water for
two or three days .In another life when I was a Photographic lecturer
students often forgot that they had prints in the wash after a few days
these prints were very slimy Ugh .

Pete

>
>
> I have another question for the chemists. And BTW, although you may
> be criticized them from time to time for being too technical let me
> say that most of us really appreciate the information you are able to
> share.
>
> This is the issue. Although I dabble in a number of processes, from
> an excess of curiosity perhaps, my main obsession is carbon printing,
> which as far as I am concerned is absolutely the most beautiful
> photographic printing process every devised. For a number of reasons
> I prefer the double transfer method of carbon, in which the pigmented
> relief is first developed on a plastic carrier and later transferred
> to a permanent paper support. The problem is that for the final
> transfer to take place all of the parts of the image on the plastic
> must come into contact with the gelatin coated surface of the final
> support. I very much like the convenience of matte surface and pebbly
> surface photographic papers for the final support. However, the
> gelatin of these papers if very hard, which means it will not swell
> very much, as it must if a good transfer is to be achieved in double
> transfer carbon. I have found that soaking the paper in very hot
> water for an hour or so helps to swell the gelatin, as does soaking
> the paper in very hot water in an alkaline solution. My question is
> really this. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can soften to
> the maximum the hardened gelatin of photographic papers? If possible
> I would like to have it almost slimy to the touch.
>
> I am aware this is not a general topic issue, but thanks for your indulgence.
>
> Sandy King
>
>
Received on Sun Nov 16 06:05:44 2003