Re: argyrotype

Hi Christina,

I have personally never aged Argyrotype. Where did you see that suggested? I have always used it the following day after mixing with fine results.

When I first began playing around with Argyrotypes, I was getting very low DMAXs and blotchy prints. I tried 8 different papers, I tried gelatin sizing them, I tried increasing the amount od Sulfamic Acid. I finally stumbled upon the notion that the humidity in my New England house in winter just was not sufficient! I started using a humidifier and had excellent results with the Argyrotype formula once the humidity was above 40 percent. No blotches, good DMAX. Once again I tried all the papers and I found Crane's 90lb Cover, aka Platinotype, to yeild the best results, no additional sizing.

Good Luck!
Christine

You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.....The Sky is round, and I have heard that the Earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The Wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours....
Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.

~Black Elk

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Christina Z. Anderson" <zphoto@montana.net>
Reply-To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2006 23:19:49 -0700

>I mixed up a batch of argyrotype this past week--a liter of the stuff for
>class. I noticed that in comparison to VDB it is very weak and blah, a kind
>of dull cooler brown unlike the past argyrotypes that I made several years
>ago, both from a premixed formula and from one I mixed myself.
>
>I added tween to the mix in the proportions that Ware recommends. I did
>filter the black sludge out as the formula recommends, too.
>
>How long do you all let argyrotype age--I was thinking maybe it needed a few
>more days to age...i only had it age 5 days.
>
>Have any of you added gum arabic to your coating mix?
>
>Even with a double coat it seems to be the same..
>
>Two different papers, Rives BFK and Platine.
>
>At least the liter of VDB mixed up looks great!
>chris
>
>
>
 
             
Received on Fri Feb 10 16:28:19 2006