Re: (Gum) Multi prints???

Yves,

Welcome to the exciting world of gum printing!

Despite your admitted lack of experience with, I've enjoyed reading your
comments, questions and observations.

I started gum printing many years ago, long before the internet as we know
it existed. I was self taught, using gum printing instructions in
Crawford's The Keepers of Light. I found gum printing to be relatively easy
to learn and quickly produced very nice prints. With practice and testing,
I learned how to manipulate the process and achieve consistent results.
There's nothing like 'hands on' experience to learn the process. Be sure to
measure accurately and keep extensive notes.

Thanks for the comment regarding Ansel Adams. My formal training in
photography included learning and mastering the Zone System. I strongly
believe that good technical skills and attention to detail are essential, in
addition to a having a creative eye.

I understand your concern that your single coat tests may have been a waste
of time. Please consider that even failures or poor results are a valuable
learning experience.

Best regards,
Dave Rose
Powell, Wyoming

----- Original Message -----
From: "Yves Gauvreau" <gauvreau-yves@sympatico.ca>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: (Gum) Multi prints???

Loris,

I haven't made any gum prints to speak of at this time, only test. If you
think this puts me in the category of those who should shut up and listen
and maybe get their hand dirty a bit more, well I can understand that for
you it may be the right thing to do. For me it obviously isn't a good
approach mainly for the following reason, most other processes, excluding
maybe all other colloid dichromate processes, have a large theorical
knowledge base or lots of maps with well defined roads and you know where
you'll get well in advance. Another thing most these process have in common
is they have just enough variability that one as to test for his specific
set of circonstance, I would call this fine tuning if you like but at least
you know basically where you are at all time. I see this TEST, TEST, TEST
all over the place but I know what to test for.

Ansel Adams said good technical skills and knowledge doesn't make a good
photograph but he never saw an excellent photograph having soso skills and
knowledge. The where all masters of their craft. (these words are from
memory, I could find the page if you need)

Now for gum well there are some maps of course but I see many areas labeled
"unexplored territory" and I ask the questions I ask because I want to know
if it is just because the maps I've found are not up to date or if they are
still unexplored areas. Doing whatever test you can think of when you don't
know what to expect well I think it's a waist of time.

As I said earlier about Tom reply on this question of multiple exposure, I
have a satisfactory understanding of why I have to do this, it is logical
and rational for me and you can be sure I wont ask any more question about
this. (Most if not all the single coat test I've made so far where (almost)
a waist of time)

Thanks
Yves

----- Original Message -----
From: "Loris Medici" <loris_medici@mynet.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 10:05 AM
Subject: RE: (Gum) Multi prints???

Hi Yves. Being just a beginner (practice-wise, not theory.. And I say
this knowing practice is the very best gum-instructor) in gum dichromate
printing, I wait with great enthusiasm the results of your tests and the
description of the new roadmaps you will provide someday (hope soon).
Also, you can be sure it would be a great treat to me very if you'd
share some prints...

Regards,
Loris.

-----Original Message-----
From: Yves Gauvreau [mailto:gauvreau-yves@sympatico.ca]
Sent: 14 Aralık 2005 Çarşamba 16:28
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: Re: (Gum) Multi prints???

...One last thing I could add, I not convinced that using a single
exposure with a negative of a relatively low density range (0.7-0.9)
automatically mean it is "not going to produce a very exciting image" to
use your own words. If one is using a pigment that is just "right",
meaning optimal for both the UV and the visual spectrum it is quite
reasonable to think, that with the Dmax and gradation we can get from
this mix, we can very well produce an exiting image, I wouldn't be
surprise if there where quite a few pigment that could be used in single
coat prints. As I said above, the gum process as a wide envelope or a
wide gamut if you prefer, I would be the one to seek what those limits
are and update the maps accordingly instead of being satisfied with the
already explored territory...
Received on Wed Dec 14 13:03:43 2005