Carbon question for Jim, Tri and Vaughn

**PViapiano** · 22-Feb-2011, 16:20

After reading both Jim and Vaughn's guides for carbon printing, I had a few questions.

I know that Jim & Vaughn both live in moderately cool climates with decent humidity, but I'm guessing that Tri lives more inland where it can be a lot hotter and dryer (especially in summer!).

Are there any caveats for making tissue in a hotter environment? Getting the temp down to 65-68 F would be expensive in the summer, if not close to impossible. Is making tissue even doable in the summer?

Now, Jim...don't say move to the beach!

One more thing...after you expose and are transferring the image to the support under safelight, how long must it remain under safelight or darkness?

That's all for now...thanks guys...I'm starting to get the urge to try this in the next few months.

**Vaughn** · 22-Feb-2011, 16:54

Cooler temps are easier for the process, and some do make it a seasonal process...or work in the evenings/early mornings when it is cooler. I was born and raised in Alhambra, so I know that cool evenings are non-existent in the late summer/early fall!

So for those times, the early morning hours when it does cool down might be the time to pour tissues -- and they keep for several months so you can make and save some for the hotter times of the year. Some folks even sensitize and then freeze the tissues for later printing.

I use acetone for the carrier of the sensitizer, so it is self-cooling as the acetone evaporates. The transfer bath needs to be cool (60 to 65F seems best), but that can easily be done with ice.

The tissue needs to be kept in low light once senstitized -- even a 40W regular light bulb is fine -- just avoid UV emitters. I use 60W bug lights (the yellow bulbs). Once transferred, just lay a piece of cardboard over it for the 30 minutes it needs to mate.

Once you start developing and have removed the tissue support, there is not much to worry about in the terms of fogging.

I live in the far NW of CA, so perhaps Tri has some better hot weather tips. Around here, if it gets to 75F, people start complaining about the heat!

vaughn

**Jan Pietrzak** · 22-Feb-2011, 17:46

Hi PV and Vaughn,

As most of you know I am not a carbon printer, BUT when working with any of the (I hate this term, alt processes) it is a marriage of location and process. I lived in SoCal/LA for a long time. I then moved to New Mexico, yes did I have to adapted my working to NM, yes. But it does not take long to do it. In the early day of working we had a saying 'what works for me in my studio/darkroom may not/will not work for you in your studio/darkroom. That said just keep working and make lots of notes. It will all work out for you. PV I am sorry that I did not have a chance to meet you in So/Cal. Vaughn say hi to Don Anton for me when you see him.

Good luck and keep working/changing till you get it.

Jan Pietrzak

**Vaughn** · 22-Feb-2011, 18:05

Yes, and this is what makes traveling to give carbon workshops a bit of a challenge -- one needs to try to universalize the process to fit the climate, facilities and light sources of the place you are giving the workshop. The ones in Newport, Oregon I have given are close enough like home, but the East SF Bay Area and Yosemite Valley have been a bigger challenge!

**Jim Fitzgerald** · 22-Feb-2011, 18:17

Paul, I can echo Vaughn's comments. It can get hot at the beach. Hell, it was 103 degrees for one day last summer! You have to adjust your working times to the environmental conditions for carbon. Vaughn and I live in cool climates and it has its advantages and some disadvantages also. Yes i can pour tissue just about any time which is nice but when the humidity is high it can cause problems. I use 40 watt yellow bug lights that I got from the $.99 store. I have one on in the darkroom and one on in my development room. It is like working in daylight. Once I peel my tissue in development and get development almost done I can turn on the light to check the image. Just let me know when you have some time and I can come by and show you how to do it. You are not that far from me. Or if you want come on over here.

Also, almost forgot..... you can always move to the beach!!

**Tri Tran** · 22-Feb-2011, 22:09

Hi Paul,
I'm a few miles away from the beach, with sometimes unpredictable weather pattern. Daytime can be hot but morning and night usually cool . The humidity around 60-70 in the morning and night but 30-40 daytime. I try to keep my humidity between 30-50 in my workshop. In the summer, I usually work at night to take advantage of the cooler temperature.
Night time or early morning is best to take advantage of the cooler temperature. When no one around so that i can focus to pour some nice tissue without distracting of family members.
Sometimes I work with the Yellow light or 60 watts incandescent light on about 10 ft during transferring. After that I let it mated as long as I wanted for at least 45min in the dark but not necessarily in complete darkness
The carbon process can be simple and straightforward as long as you keep it simple. It's all visual. It can be tricky and frustrating if you make it too complicated.
Hope this helps,

**CP Goerz** · 22-Feb-2011, 23:51

Hey there,

I live in Hollywood and it can get pretty warm around here but have never had trouble making tissues in any temperature. The one advantage we have here is that drying the tissue takes no time at all.

Is your basic gelatine solution 10% or something less? If less it'll be more difficult.

Once the image is wet it loses almost all sensitivity to light, in addition you are pressing the gelatine onto the support so I wouldn't expect there to be any light able to penetrate through it all to cause fog. I used the double transfer method which sounds like its twice as much work but is actually a lot easier and has no chance of the dichromate staining the final support. There are a few other advantages too but ease and economy are the main two

In that process I use clear acrylic sheets as the temporary support and never had any fogging. Dichromate is only really sensitive when its dry, not when wet.

**PViapiano** · 23-Feb-2011, 00:24

Great information, everyone...thank you so much!

One more...do you really need to work with a bug/safe light when sensitizing the tissue? I coat gum prints in normal room light, either 60 watt bulb or plain north window light (no sun), and the dichromate doesn't fog at all. Just curious...

**Jim Fitzgerald** · 23-Feb-2011, 07:32

Paul, I've always used the light. This is the way I learned from Vaughn. I've never tried it but I would think that it would be no problem. The time it takes to coat especially if one uses acetone as the carrier is not that long. One of those things to test. Should be fine.

**Tri Tran** · 23-Feb-2011, 08:11

Originally Posted by PViapiano

Great information, everyone...thank you so much!

One more...do you really need to work with a bug/safe light when sensitizing the tissue? I coat gum prints in normal room light, either 60 watt bulb or plain north window light (no sun), and the dichromate doesn't fog at all. Just curious...

I sensitized ( Carbon) and coated my paper ( Platinum) under normal incadescent light without any fogging that I have noticed . There is not much of sensitivity to light when tissue itself first brushed or coated, also the tissue should be away from harsh light or UV A or B ( They do exist even there is no sun) radiation during drying stage. Jim & I both have a hard time to get tissue completely dried when humidity is high especially when it rain. That's it for now. The rest Jim and I will take care of it for you .