uranium prints

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003, Keith Gerling wrote:

> Judy,
>
> I've always wanted to try gum over uranium prints. I wonder what the
> long-term effects of radiation would have on the colloid? And would it be

Keith,

My understanding was that uranium nitrate has about as much radiation as a
watch dial -- it was the WORD "radiation" that was lethal. tho I'm not
sure what visual advantage gum over uranium would have -- uranium toning
wasn't considered perfectly archival, but I don't know about the chemical
in a print emulsion.

Also I doubt uranium prints glow... for glow you want I forget whether
it's called phosphorescent or fluorescent paint, but there are lots of
them readily available... I've seen paintings done with them & very
tasty.... tho of course they have to be charged with daylight. I would
imagine that you could put the glowing paint directly in a gum emulsion --
or if not the paint, the substance that makes them glow.

Jewellia meanwhile had promised an article about her uranium prints for
whichever issue of P-F it was, but then she decided to turn the issue into
a "performance piece" for a character she invented called, if memory
serves, "Poor cunt" (or similar). The "poetry" she tendered didn't let's
say "work" for P-F', despite my expenditure of two weeks editing genius. I
think anyway she'd decided P-F wasn't the "art" milieu she wanted & broke
her promises to provide the formula. So... finis.

I then tried to find a source of uranium (I had probably enough for one
batch but readers had to be able to get it) so I could publish the
formula.... but with the time & energy available, couldn't. Nor could any
of the many sources I queried advise me (who knew about e-bay? It may have
been before e-bay anyway). In fact everyone I've heard of til now who had
uranium nitrate inherited it -- eg, with a father's darkroom.

In the interval I did come across a formula or two for uranium printing,
but figured no point in pursuing since the chemical wasn't available & I
have reams of formulas untried or waiting for their close-up for which
chemicals are readily at hand. However, if Bob S. or someone else doesn't
tender that formula, I'll try to retrieve.

Judy

> possible to add something to the gum emulsion that would glow? Seeing that
> uranium nitrate is readily available at a decent price, are there
> instructions available somewhere on how to go about making uranium prints?
> If I recall, Bob Schramm and Jewelia Margaritte Cameroon have both discussed
> making uranium prints, but couldn't find any directions anywhere.
>
> Keith
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Judy Seigel [mailto:jseigel@panix.com]
> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 4:04 PM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: Re: softening gelatin.
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, 15 Nov 2003, John Cremati wrote:
>
> > The digestive enzymes Papain from the Papaya, and Bromelain from
> > pineapple, pepsin from strawberries and kiwi , can all be purchased in
> > health food stores in isolated form...They all have a effect on
> proteins...
>
>
> This would certainly be more "scientific," measurable and repeatable than
> pineapple skin. What are these enzymes generally sold for (or is that
> something I don't want to know?)???
>
> New topic: I got to chatting with someone last night who told me a
> friend of hers had bought "uranium" (I assume uranium nitrate) on e-bay
> and was making uranium prints. Does e-bay have a chemicals division,
> or...???
>
> J.
>
Received on Mon Nov 17 15:50:21 2003