Up until now, I have been printing in multiple mediums, at the time respectively, the printing was related to the corresponding book I was writing, about the medium being used. That series of five books is now complete, the constant production of fresh prints has pretty much ended. When I began printing again four years ago, I was involved with a photographer's group using the group's organizer's large darkroom, made available as a public darkroom for members. The organizer hadn't been yet subjected to hand coating processes, and wanted to learn, upon hearing me wax heavy of the shear awesomeness of it, to begin with.
That was then, and a year later, with a nudge from my wife, said custom darkroom took shape, from what was once a shop, of some sort. Ripped everything out including the walls and rebuilt. That, changed everything. For those photographers who are black & white film users, and hand coating enthusiasts, who have had their own cherished darkroom; you know. Making the first salt paper print, in another photographer's darkroom, was nothing short of magical for me. Having my own darkroom, with all the chemicals I need to mix anything I want, is beyond my ability to expressive it in words. I take my work quite seriously.
The current print I am working on is getting more thought from me than most other prints I've even done, with the exception to "The Flute Player". That was twenty one print layers, using thirty six colors. I did a lot of thinking on that one. The considerations I'm making on this current print has more to do with interpreting the scene itself, than on the variant ways of doing it. They question was simply, how do I want this image of an old cabin, with odd things in the setting, with window to the outside. A standing at the at the counter, with window. There is ample shadow in the setting, some quite deep, much in zone 2 territory.
The question I had was, how much of the image should be swallowed by shadow? How much textural detail should be seen outside the window, in full sunlight, against dark shadow? 'The strongest way of seeing'. Then, begin to add the gum. Where to hold the light, how much? Each gum layer darkening the wood, most in shadow. Lots of interesting interpretation, before the planned printing, to hold each tonal range where it belongs in the planned finished image. That's the task. Seeing what you want to print. In the end, the print will be my vision, regardless of outside considerations. That, for an artist, is all that matters.
As with any photographic printing, one prints to the highlights; zone 6-7, depending on the lighting conditions and texture the light is reflecting off of. That means that when applying the gum over the tonalities of the print beneath, care must be taken to coat areas with a similar or equal print time. Coating a mid-tone object simultaneously with a highlight area, such as the situation with this print, with interior shadow and exterior brilliant sunshine outside the window, by the time the elements outside the window have been printed in sufficiently not to float away, the color(s) in the mid-tone area will be permanent, unlikely to float off or likely even brush off at that point. The printing needs to be organized by print time.
And that, only works if the printer isn't employing an all over coating of gum to the print, but working in localized areas. For those printers coating the entire image each layer, thought then has to be on the saturation of the gum mixture being applied, as it will have less affect on lower tonalities than mid-tones, and to a lessor degree, highlights. the gum layering is organized around print time.
This print is being printed on Revere Platinum paper. This paper works quite well for palladium printing, which is what it was made for, as well as gum printing, as the tooth is just right. If a gum only print is to be made, then the paper would need to have a hot-dip layer of sizing, probably at a
2 1/2% solution of gelatin, as the paper has sizing for palladium printing, not gum. The paper I have found to be my favorite over all others is Fabriano Artistico 140lb hot press watercolor paper. That paper is sized in the inter=ior and exterior, prints very nicely for gum over palladium and gum printing
I will be printing layer six on this print tomorrow. One layer per day, full dry down. The pre-shrinking process of one hot dip in water at 120ºF for one minute, works well for paper cut to make an 8"x10" print, on 11"x14" paper. That has always worked well. Once the paper size reaches the 15"x19 1/2" size to make a 11"14" print image for a gum over palladium, One hot dip isn't enough. The paper tends to shrink at the width. Two ot dips is recommended, and for those that aren't in a hurry, three hot dips would be best for no shrinkage. No pun intended. There is no image to show for now, but soon. Then, comments are welcome.
Gum over Palladium Print
"Grandpa's Cabin" ~ 11"x14"
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