Re: dichromate stain

From: Judy Seigel ^lt;jseigel@panix.com>
Date: 06/14/04-10:23:53 PM Z
Message-id: <Pine.NEB.4.58.0406150003000.6173@panix1.panix.com>

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004, Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
> That said, I rarely, since switching to the lower dilution am di, feel a
> need to clear my prints, and, in fact, don't much since Sil Horowitz said,
> no problem, and since most are of the camp "If you NEED to clear, then you
> can". With unsized Fabriano Artistico which I am currently using, I do
> notice more of a tendency to not release dichromate.

Oh brother, or make that sister -- I found otherwise. On tests between
gelatin sized and unsized paper, on some papers the gelatined paper
stained more -- two coats of gelatin definitely stained more.

However, I've noticed (and mentioned in these pages) many variables in
dichromate stain, NOT just length of soak. I mentioned time on the paper,
& heat & humidity in the room as variables, & have also seen added stain
from stronger dichromate, or a higher ratio in the solution (2 parts am di
solution to 1 part gum arabic) and from drying coated paper in the light.

Nor does a longer soak necessarily require more exposure -- some pigments
are faster, some negatives expose quicker, some mixes have a higher
ratio/concentration of dichromate and sometimes I want to wash away color
in any event -- especially in a final coat, which is the only one where
soaking out dichromate stain would be meaningful.

Interestingly, in some book or other, the author advised using the
dichromate stain to add density to the image... and as long as my paper
whites aren't ruined, I consider it, should it occur, just another
variable. Tho I remember one summer day when the whole paper got yellow...
the effect was so beautiful I tried (fruitlessly) for some time to repeat
it with pigment.

Judy
Received on Mon Jun 14 22:24:25 2004

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.8 : 07/02/04-09:40:14 AM Z CST