Thanks for advice on gum coating

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice. To answer a few questions--the image
is of a 4 x 6 inch paper, upsized Arches Watercolor. I've had similar
results with Reeves BFK, Fabiano Uno, and an unnamed Bienfang from the
grocery store. The pigment is burnt umber but I've also used lampblack,
ivory black, burnt and raw sienna plus a green and a blue whose exact names
I don't remember.

I've just finished sizing several sheets with Keith's formula (7 grams
gelatin, 400 ccs water, etc to 140 degrees, add chrome alum previously
dissolved in 100 cc water). This is about half the concentration of the
previous catastrophes I've had with gelatin--catastrophes bad enough to lead
me to give up sizing. This thinner formula at least goes on the paper
without turning into blobs on me.

Let me repeat that I am not good at brushing. My previous comment about
giving up trying to varnish wood is true.

I'll coat(try to coat) tomorrow, following the other advice.

Thanks again. Charles Portland Or
Received on Sun Feb 15 13:15:47 2004