Two carbon questions

I plan to make a normal contrast tissue using indian ink. I want to
prepare the gelatine + sugar + ink solution beforehand (will coat the
tissue later). Sandy's carbon and carbro book says that the gelatine
solution can be refrigerated for later use (remember reading this
somewhere else too). I tried to refrigerate gelatine solution once
(about 250ml, 10%) and after about 2-3 weeks in the fridge, the water
was evaporated completely leaving only dry gelatine in the bottom of the
vessel - it was fun to play with the dry gelatine disk later ;)
 
1) Does it mean that I have to fridge the gelatine solution in a
hermetic container? (I guess yes but I want to hear others would say...)
 
2) Won't heating the gelatine solution before coating or leaving it
about 2 hours in a warm water (45C) bath to have the bubbles expelled
(after adding the pigment and stirring vigorously) reduce water in the
solution (due evaporation) considerably? How this will affect the
working characteristics of the solution? Am I thinking too compulsively?
 
I plan to start with batches of 500ml... I aim for a tissue with normal
contrast / moderate relief. (Any suggestions for pigment quantity? I
want to make a tissue with 1mm wet thickness.)
 
TIA,
Loris.
Received on Thu Apr 13 05:06:32 2006