Re: "speckling" v "staining " (was New Orleans/glut)

Chris and everyone,

Some people have mentioned using the Black Magic hardener. Any idea
what the strength of that stuff is? What sort of volume are you using
in 1000ml of gelatin? I am debating giving that a try (with good
ventilation!)

Clay
On Sep 3, 2005, at 10:15 AM, Christina Z. Anderson wrote:

> Judy,
>
> Yes, Rives BFK.
>
> I agree that the term "speckling" can refer to different things.
> One is, for instance, an all over grainy speckle that I attribute
> to such things as overexposure or overbrushing that ends up leaving
> little grainy bits of pigment all over the paper, including the
> highlights. It looks like a robin's egg, with tone underneath.
>
> I also have had that speckling with white highlights that you talk
> about, that I figured was Rives paper fiber at the very top picking
> up a stain. Oh, for a microscope...
>
> Staining, though, can be in the form of a flat tone, when the color
> sinks into the highlights and never releases (no grain), or a
> combination of that flat tone and speckles in the highlights
> attributed to both overexposure and unsuitable size, etc., or
> whatever reason of choice causes staining (too acid gum, blah blah
> blah). So yes, speckle and stain can be different things, can have
> different causes, but can occur concurrently.
>
> My point is that a lot of beginning gummists get this speckle/
> grainy effect, and my guess is, that with a different paper and
> different size, this would not happen.
>
> Maybe Mark could scan and post the speckle??
>
> My guess is, that Rives has little paper fibers that get brushed up
> and extend past the size and don't get enough size, OR glyoxal
> crystallizes gelatin in such a way, that catches and doesn't
> release pigment. Why the latter guess is that my glyoxal coated
> FAEW hot press also speckled. In fact, when I go back through my
> prints I did over the last 2 years (probably about 500?) I can tell
> the glyoxal from the glut by feel and look.
>
> I had Mark feel both the glyoxal Rives and the Fabriano AEW and he
> could feel the crystally texture of the glyoxal. I also feel that
> texture with formaldehyde, when I used to size with it. There is
> NONE of that feel with glut either on hot or cold pressed papers.
> It feels smooth and it acts smooth. BTW, my formaldehyde used to
> speckle, too.
>
> Plus, I can go back months later on a glut sized print and soak and
> remove layers of gum with a scotch brite pad (thank you Jack
> Brubaker). I cannot do that with an unsized FAEW or a Rives sized
> or not.
>
> Maybe I'm just lucky with glut, because I started out with Ryuji's
> advice to use the 6ml of 2.5% per liter gum and it worked.
>
> The only way we can form a justifiable opinion on glut is if anyone
> using it reports to the list and we develop a body of knowledge.
> Don Bryant is doing so shortly. I hope others trying it will POST.
>
> If the topic of glut's toxicity comes up, remember that both
> formaldehyde and glyoxal are very toxic, too. I personally would
> NOT hang over a tray of glyoxal as a hardening afterbath any more
> than I would hang over a tray of glut.
>
> BTW, I don't want to cast aspersions on Don's sizing method with
> Rives, as his paper is perfect looking, flat, non-yellowed, and I
> think he did rinse the glyoxal off after hardening. But, Don, did
> you separately tray harden or put the glyoxal into the hot gelatin?
> Chris
>
>
>> Judy said: You seem to be using the terms "speckling" and "stain"
>> here as meaning the > same thing. But as I use the terms they're
>> distinctly different... the "stain" being a fine (although grainy)
>> tone over the paper, the "speckling" being larger, possibly
>> irregular but usually shinier *specks* of color, more widely
>> spaced, that is there can be perfectly white paper between them.
>> I've only seen what I call speckling in cases of faulty size,
>> although *staining* can be from many causes, such as dispersal
>> agent or other in the paint itself, or paper that tends to
>> stain... (as some will always if not sized, eg. one particular
>> Arches which I'd have to look up to name).
>> And frankly my experience of the experience is so different from
>> what you describe, I really do hope that's the explanation.
>> The "Rives" here meaning Rives BFK, I assume, not one of the other
>> Rives papers???
>> Judy
>>
>
>
>
Received on Sat Sep 3 09:41:28 2005