Re: sizing paper for gums

Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Fri, 21 Jul 1995 21:58:59 -0400 (EDT)

On Thu, 20 Jul 1995, porky pig wrote:

> Anyone know of a good, QUICK way to size paper for gum printing. In the
> past ive always used hot gelatin, dried, formaldehyde, dry, gel, dry, for,
> dry. gel, dry, for, dry. This takes forever!!!! and with 20x24 sheets its
> a major pain in the ass. I tries to coat my paper with an acrylic base once

Dear Porky -- and other paper sizers lurking,

I hesitated to get into this because it's a form of quicksand, but my
curiosity is getting the better of me. Am I mistaken to assume that, a
relatively new gum printer, you are printing 20x24?

What paper are you using? What continuous tone film do you have in that
dimension? How are you registering?

In any event, it sounds like you're sizing one sheet at a time, which is a
larger pain than necessary. When your solutions are mixed, do a batch.
Sized paper keeps (not indefinitely, since the gelatine can dry out, but a
year or so). Also, 3 coats of gelatine is excessive. In fact one coat (if
tray soaked) is usually plenty. More may make the paper too stiff, also
too contrasty, and lose your midtone separation (the "photographic" look).
It really isn't necessary to cut out every scintilla of stain -- some is
pleasing.

The starch sizes described here last week are very easy. My early tests
show one of them is at least OK. (Don't pay attention to Gini's spray
starch -- she is a magician, which some of us are not.)

Someone else said they couldn't get formaldehyde -- get doctor's
prescription for pharmacy, or see your local undertaker, or see a Canadian,
or a chemical supplier (through university).

Big fuss today about dangers of formaldehyde, though most of us of
a certain age had our noses in it for weeks at a time in high school biology
dissections. (You'd want to use it outdoors, though.)

As for the acrylic size, if you dilute it enough it will work, sort of.
That is, the emulsion will spread, but quality of image very poor.
Highlights simultaneously blotchy and gone.

Look, if gum were *easy* who would do anything else?

Judy