Gum Printing ~ Knowing When to Stop

I laid another layer of color on the new print, Yellow Ochre to be precise, as this color is one of my go to colors in the color palette, being it is the "warm tone" color for a panchromatic image. It is the mixture intensity that has further control over adding 'color' to the image or simply shifting the light quality to a warmer tone. In this layer my intent was on the latter, shifting the overall image to a warmer tone. For my taste, using quinacridone gold would not be natural, in bright sunshine or dimly lit scene from direct sunlight. It is the late afternoon "golden glow" that the gold replicates.

I don't see the need for posting this layer as it will be indistinguishable from the last, being the layer I applied was sheer. At this stage the only means of knowing more exactly what colors remain can only be deciphered after clearing of the dichromate stain, otherwise, what is seen is a yellowish image. One of the most difficult decisions for a gum printer, after more fully understanding the controls and variables at the printer's disposal, is knowing when to stop. Once registration of the print has been mastered there is no end time to printing. One can continue on as far as desired. The all gum print I made of "The Flute Player" consisted of twenty-one print layers using thirty eight color mixtures. Very sheer color layers stacked in different order in different areas to arrive at a fully textured image with detail.

Gum over palladium, or silver or cyanotype or platinum or any other printed image is slightly different, as the textural detail, hopefully, is intact before any gum is added. The color mixtures therefore can be much heavier than in gum printing as said color layer won't cover over existing detail, it will only enhance it towards the color applied. Any gum added over a shadow area, regardless of the color, will strengthen the shadow(s). Contrast can be built this way, as long as the highlights are printed down too much. That comes under print time/float time controls. Secondary to this is water temperature. Knowing how to wield these variables to control the printing is what it's all about. That takes time.