Re: new to list

Hi:

I always tell beginners to start with cyanotype. Its relatively easy and
inexpensive, but will make sure that one can coat paper and has a proper
UV lights etc.

I took a photo etching workshop many years ago and have since been smitten
with photo based print making, but have never had the opportunity to
pursue it further.

I bought the book:

Copper Plate Photogravure: Demystifying the Process
 by David Morrish, Marlene Maccallum

If you haven't read it, I think it would provide all the information you
need to start photogravure. I just need a press :)

Since you are used to working with printers inks have you considered
Rawlins Oil (Oil Pigment) or Bromoil?

Bromoil might be an alternative starting point for you. Bromoil does not
require a UV exposure unit, It starts with a standard black and white
silver-gelatin print (on a paper that works well with bromoil) and
lithographic ink.

See:
http://home.earthlink.net/~trans40/hopperlist/
http://alt-photo.com/alt-photo/bromoil/
http://alt-photo.com/alt-photo/bromoil/reading room.html

Rawlins/Pigment Oil is similar to Bromoil, but does not use a black and
white print - Rawlins requires a UV light source and enlarged negatives.

My UV exposure unit is very simple. I took 5 4ft long double flourescent
strip lamps and screwed them to a 2ft by 4ft piece of plywood. They are
screwed on so that the spacing between the all tubes is the same. The
lamps are wired together in series and grounded properly. It's wired to
one switch.

I use 350BL tubes. Shop around for tubes. I bought Sylvania tubes, a
friend bought GE tubes (350BL) here in the same city for 40% less.
Everything but the tubes can be bought from a lumberyard/hardware store.

It sounds excessively large, but I found the 4 ft flourescent tubes and
strip lamps to be cheaper than anything smaller.

But it is big. To deal with the size I attached the whole assembly to the
wall behind one of the counters in my darkroom, with hinges. The lamps
face the countertop. I have two chains attached to the wall that support
the lamp, so that it is level with the counter.

When I am not printing I hinge the exposure unit up against the wall and
hook it in place. This gives me access to the large countertop. I use the
counter top to coat and prepare paper. When I want to expose a print, I
unhook the assembly and lower it over the countertop.

For Gum printing I use a vaccum frame similar to what Dave Rose has
described. A sheet of plywood with grooves, pegboard and mylar with a
vaccuum cleaner for suction.

Good luck, and welcome to the list :)

Gord

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 Dalyvoss@aol.com wrote:

> I just subscribed, and would like to say hello, and introduce myself to the
> list.
>

> I've been a painter and printmaker for many years, and viewed photography as
> more of a hobby. I shot primarily 35 mm and had a simple "bathroom darkroom"
> i'd set up a couple of times a year. Last year brought a turning point
> though, when i married " a man with a darkroom and a large format camera ", and now
> i find myself lurking at alt photography sites and having dark thoughts of
> coating all my printmaking and other fine art papers with light sensitive
> concoctions. ok... i've admitted it. here i am.
>
> processes i'm especially interested in are gum bichromate and photogravure.
> I'm smitten with the look of both, and they seem suited to my skills in
> painting and printmaking. I've been doing a lot of reading, including the archives
> here, and i'm now ready to start ordering some supplies and getting set up.
> The learning curve is steep! one of my first tasks is to build a UV exposure
> unit. Any advice about that would be appreciated, as would the latest
> information about buying the G35 carbon tissue ( do i have to buy a whole roll? yikes
> $$$$ ).
>
> Thanks for all the information i've already gotten from the archives here.
> I'm looking forward to joining in.
>
> all the best,
> Susan Daly Voss
>

---------------------------------------------------------
Gordon J. Holtslander Dept. of Biology
holtsg@duke.usask.ca 112 Science Place
http://duke.usask.ca/~holtsg University of Saskatchewan
Tel (306) 966-4433 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Fax (306) 966-4461 Canada S7N 5E2
---------------------------------------------------------
Received on Tue Nov 2 11:20:50 2004