Second Gum Print ~ Different Approach

The first gum print of "The Old Jerome Hotel" was put together in similar fashion to this print. The differences had to do with pigment saturation in the gum, order of color layering, and print time differences. I work to keep the float time between 2-5 minutes in a cold water batch. That allows for warming the water and or utilizing hand manipulation in areas if needed for further reducing a color layer in some specific area. I also work to scale the negative for a print time of 10 minutes for a 'full' print retention of all zones, including zone 7. This is important, being the only way to keep whites, white, and upper tones to keep or lose a color layer is control by the handshake between print time and float time.

I began both prints using Gouache Black, for deeper blacks in the shadows; zone 1. There is no discernible sky to have to protect, and most of the image is foliage of various stripes, including the female Maple that holds the swing. Being each print is unique, no A/P or copies of any kind, there is not do overs to see how things turn out, printed a different way. Unless the original print isn't to one's liking, then printing it again makes sense, as long as the first print is destroyed. For any confusion on this issue, each print I make, has a certificate of authenticity attached to it, disclosing all the details of the print, including how many prints are to be made. For a gum print, it is shown to be unique, based upon the image, not whether it is to be copied in another medium. Unique means unique.

On that certificate form is a listed sub-head which covers this specific topic. If the print being sold has any copies in any other medium, or size, it is to be disclosed there. There is usually no overlapping situations for my images, however, there are rare instances where I will want to print an image in gum and in palladium. Should I do that, it will be disclosed on both of the certificates, respectively. One such situation may be the image I have of "Adley on the Stump", a classical image that would be worthy in both mediums.

This gum print, like the first one, is printed on Fabriano 140# hot press watercolor paper; also the sizing and paper treatment were the same.
The color stacking was slightly different, working to bring out the foliage detail and end up with something that resembles the real deal, my way of seeing. I left the blue effect in the image as it cooled the image overall. It is not exactly how I had envisioned, but to arrive at a point whereupon the outcome is very close to original intentions, takes a lot of practice. Being these two prints were a beginning point, after thirty years since last printing.

Gum Dichromate Print
"The Swing"
Eugene, Oregon