I have been working on a new gum print for the past two weeks. It began as a test, reducing the sizing of the paper slightly, from 2 1/2% gelatin sizing to 2%. The reason being to soften the paper in between coatings with less sizing. The downside of that is as the sizing diminishes the print image, reciprocally, to fall into the paper more. At some point this becomes obviously undesirable for image quality. I mix my own gum to 50% solution, which is approximately twice the density/viscosity of the 14 Baum premix gum sold commercially. That allows me a bit more leeway with the level of sizing needed to keep the image near the surface.
I just finished the 10th print layer of that image this morning. It has been hanging to dry for the past couple hours, so I wanted to know how wet the print still might be, before I immerse it in the sodium bisulfite clearing bath, to clear the dichromate stain. I know better than to ever actually touch the not yet dry part of the image because it is very likely the gum will simply pull off the print with the offending finger. As confessions go, I touched the image. I can say that true to known wisdom's it did pull the gum right off that area, turning two weeks of work into junk. I'm mostly past weeping at my age, although something pretty close to that is unfolding inside my head. Just too dumb to think about.
In two weeks, I will have a finished gum of Jars in the Window to show. For now, just some ugly noises coming from a dark corner.
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