RE: bromoil, anyone?

Hi Chris:
For my bromoils use paper Agfa Classic MCC 118 BFC and but recently, paper
Forte Bromofort.
As for the brushes, I use of very different classes and hardness, but I
always use materials that he/she can buy in any store of painters, or I draw
that is near my house. Those brushes, the short one in form of "foot of
deer" and I use them without any problem.
Pardon for my English, text translated by computer.

-----Mensaje original-----
De: Christina Z. Anderson [mailto:zphoto@bellsouth.net]
Enviado el: sábado, 13 de noviembre de 2004 14:50
Para: Alt list
Asunto: bromoil, anyone?

Good morning all,
     I know this is hard to believe I can think about something other than
gum, but this week I got the hairbrained idea to use bromoil as my technical
research project for a printmaking class. I was inspired to do so after
seeing Tom Micklin's prints in the traveling portfolio (so Tom, please chime
in here). The hairbrained part was deciding to produce an edition of 10
different prints for the critique.

     Let me say that I have read about bromoil extensively, researching it
and condensing a workflow for my Experimental Workbook, in which is my
"quickie" bromoil method. I tested it way back when, but no students ever
chose to do bromoil, and I was not a printmaker at the time which I now am.
Thus I am a bromoil neophyte.

     I mixed my own bromoil solution and it worked great. This is good.

     First mistake: I knew that Ilford papers are resistant to bleaching,
but did not know if this resistance would entail a longer bleach etch time
in the bromoil solution. Silly me--just because it resists bleaching does
NOT mean it resists etching. I bleach etched for 16 minutes, and all of
those prints (11x14's,) delaminated. It was like bromoiling on top of a
mordancage. I was NOT happy. I should have known this because Ilford is a
WONDERFUL paper for mordancage--it veils very quickly.

     I then reprinted all, using these papers: Ilford MGIV matte, Ilford
MGIV warmtone pearl, Forte Polywarmtone RC, Bergger VCCB. I found out some
stuff in my mistakes. For one, Forte RC was by far the best! I am
surprised. It is glossy, too. Next was the Ilford MGIV matte.

     Question: what are your fave papers, you bromoilists? Not the special
bromoil papers, but regular ones. Do you use glossy or matte?

     Two, since I ruined the first batch of prints and had to redo the whole
process with a time limit facing me, I found that an 8 minute etch was
plenty sufficient, and that I could go right from the etch bath to inking up
with no problem. Thus it wasn't really necessary to dry mount press the
prints in between the bleach/etch bath and printing up as it is said (to
make them ink up better).

     Question: is there a cheapy brush source anyone can recommend? And
brush catalog number? I used rollers for this process. On Forte RC with
rollers you can essentially get back your print to looking just like a
photograph, which...what's the point...so I wanted to try a brush for my
next go around. The local drugstore did not even know what a man's shaving
brush is.

     One more question: do you bromoilists print one stop darker and duller
as a general rule, or something other? Oh, and how long do you think a
print takes to dry? I was thinking of pressing it between baking parchment
paper in the drymount press, to prevent ink from getting on things.

     I guess what I am interested in, really, is any bromoil dialogue...so
tawlk amungst yurselfs...your workflow, your mistakes, anything!
Chris
Received on Sat Nov 13 11:27:20 2004