Mixed Media Printing ~ Gum over Silver

One of the variations to gum printing is printing over an existing image, such as silver, platinum, or palladium. All three of which have been done, although from my perspective putting gum layers over a platinum or palladium print borders on blasphemous behavior and should be dealt with harshly. But that's just me. Others do it, and I am left horrified, it is what it is. Such is life. I speak of printing gum layers over Silver. I confess this derives mostly due to the historical fact that silver was the element I was able to afford those many years ago, likely laying the foundation to my perceptions of the practice.

Gum can be applied all by itself or over existing images, of every element. I have seen gum printing over a Cyanotype. I will say that particular print was most interesting visually speaking. Despite my use of satire in describing certain combinations of mixed media printing, I am of the belief that any hand coated form used by the photographer is legitimate. To each their own as far as what mediums combined and which elements utilized. It is this open expression that allows for personal artistic expression to come forth. The printer's "hand", or that which can be seen as unique to each printer.

The underlying print image is a salted paper silver image, over-coated with four layers of pigmented gum. The element that allows this to happen successfully is registration. Not possible without it, if, any form of realism is expected. That takes keeping the five separate printing images aligned, without slippage. The original image layer is of course the salt paper image, although it could be a Kallitype or Van Dyke image as well, if silver is to be used. Any combination of colored layers of gum can be used, and as many as desired. The order in which I printed this image was a reverse form of CYMK, beginning the the black, to strengthen the existing blacks, then magenta, yellow and finally cyan, as I wanted that final primary influence to be blue(ish), for the sky. Success meant realizing the blue sky as well as green(ish) in the foliage. I arrived fairly close to that.

The image is a digital photo copy of the original print. The texture of the paper can be readily seen. The paper I used back then was Canson, with the texture seen here, as I liked the textured look of the final image. That was then, now, I use a smooth toothed paper. The original silver print leaves the textural detail of the image, leaving the gum layers to add color and depth to the underlying image.

Gum Dichromate over Salted Silver Print
"The Light House" ~ 5x7 ~ Unique