Re: Handmade paper

On Wed, 27 Oct 2004, Loris Medici wrote:

> .... also see
> Post Factory Photography #9 p. 47 for an interesting way that can be used to
> support fragile sheets - although I'm not sure if this applies to handmade
> paper).

Thanks for the plug Loris -- I actually hadn't thought of that (I suppose
you mean the "Gum Buckramate"?) for handmade paper, tho it might well
work, depending on the nature of the paper. The system was devised as a
way to hold paper rigid for re-register and then free it when finished
without leaving it clad in drymount tissue or ripping it to shreds trying
to release it from some other bonding. And it does work..

But for handmade -- or other fragile paper -- first I'd try the cradle (as
mentioned in an earlier issue of P-F). Get a piece of aluminum mesh window
screening about an inch narrower than your tray and enough longer to hang
over the edges to grasp it. When you put the wet sheet of paper on this
"sling," it clings, and you can lift it and hold by one end to drain, also
move it from tray to tray without risk of tearing the corner off or
otherwise mutilating the print by tongs. The screen lasts indefinitely and
washes easily.

This system by the way was what I used for plating-out toner when the tray
ribs made a mark on the *front* of the print (my hunch is something about
electric current from the copper toner redeposited, or plated the silver
in the solution back onto the print image-wise).

But aside from that, my advice to Alistair would be DON'T START with your
precious handmade paper -- for two reasons; first, you say you haven't
done the processes. Not only may you waste paper at the outset, until you
know how the processes work and what they look like on regular printmakers
or watercolor paper, you might well be at a loss printing, not knowing
what's the process, what's you, and what's your paper.

There's also the possibility that the handmade paper isn't going to add
that much if anything to the process, which usually does use an attractive
good quality paper. I guess it depends on how precious each sheet is to
you... but the handmade paper I've seen was so beautiful my thougt is, do
you really want to cover it up with a photograph ? I suspect also, unless
you're doing a REALLY tight paper, or a REALLY freeform kind of
photography, the print might actually look better on boring old factory
paper.

sorry to be a spoilsport, and you are encouraged to declare me wrong !

good luck whichever,

Judy

> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alistair Calder" <photo@alistair.com>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 9:29 PM
> Subject: Handmade paper
>
>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I have been lurking around this list for over a year now, gathering
>> knowledge and inspiration.
>>
>> I am interested in a few processes (pt/pd, gum and bromoil), but I was
>> wondering if anyone had managed to use homemade paper of some sort as a
>> receptor?
>>
>> I make my own paper (of varying quality) and would like to know if anyone
>> has managed to produce any reasonable prints on their own (or someone
>> else's) handmade paper.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Alistair
>
>
Received on Tue Oct 26 20:16:15 2004