Gum Printing/ Kits tips, etc....

[Gregg Cook]

I want to do a series of prints in Gum and perhaps a hybrid coloring gum process. Has anyone used kits they recommend? Have any tips to share? I know this forum has some of the most knowledgeable folks out there.

[ndg]

I want to do a series of prints in Gum and perhaps a hybrid coloring gum process. Has anyone used kits they recommend? Have any tips to share? I know this forum has some of the most knowledgeable folks out there.

Have you printed gum before?

[blueribbontea]

I'm starting to get good results using gum. One of the main problems to look for is insufficient sizing. I just switched to diluted acrylic Gesso, 1-2 and it improved my prints 100%. There are some good websites with some conflicting information, as it seems Gum printing is a very subjective process. Good luck.

Bill

[Gregg Cook]

I have not printed gum before.

[adelorenzo]

Try http://www.alternativephotography.com/ they have a whole section on gum.

Also:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cTL6NDTh9o

[ndg]

I have not printed gum before.

I am no expert but I have been printing gum for the last 18 months. Just want to share a few things:

You can teach yourself how to gum print but you need patience. It will involve some trial and error.
Read as much as you can online (you probably have). I like Peter Blackburn's papers.
Each author will do things differently. Don't be put off by that. It's just the way the process is.
I assume you have a UV printer (unless you want to use the sun).
Then you need gum arabic, ammonium or potassium dichromate, paper and pigment.
You also need trays and brushes for coating.

Bostick & Sullivan has a kit that I think is overkill for the beginner so get the following from B&S:
- get a bottle of 14 Baume gum arabic, say 250cc or 500cc
- a 250 or 500 cc of ammonium or potassium dichromate 5%.

Gum printing is done best on sized paper but for the beginning, concentrate on getting the basics. Sizing can come later.
Instead get paper that is already been internally sized by the manufacturers with alkyl ketene dimer (AKD).
With non-staining pigments, you can do 2-3 layers easy.
The papers I have used with AKD are Fabriano Artistico and Saunders Waterford.

For pigments, start with one color. I prefer Lamp or olive black watercolor paint. They don't stain as much.
I like the Windsor&Newton or Sennelier paints.

You can get the paper and paint form most art supply stores or online (Dick Blick, Daniel Smith etc).

Start off with that. Do one layer to start. Get a hang of how much pigment to use, coating, exposure times and developing.
Then learn how to register your negatives for two or more layers.
Then expand into separating your negatives and doing tricolor gums. When you get there, check out Keith Taylor's work.

Good Luck, have fun and don't give up!

[davehyams]

Oh man, gum is a monster. Chris Andersons book is a great reference for gum printers, and she is really good at it. Every gum printer I have ever met does it differently. Like bill sizes with gesso, and I don't use any size at all. Keith Taylor doesn't size either, and the only knock on his prints is that you can't tell they are gum prints, too perfect! identify your variables and eliminate any that you can, and get ready to wrestle with it if you have a specific esthetic you want to achieve. good luck

[Jim Noel]

By all means, get your hand on Christina Anderson's book. It will lead you through not only the basics, but many of the possible additions. There is no source equal to this.

[Gregg Cook]

Thanks folks!!!!

[Gregg Cook]

Hmmmm. After further research, has anyone ever used paper negs? Inquiring minds want to know....

[Gregg Cook]

OK, got supplies coming. Got my stuff and workspace together, :(I had a bunch of ARches paper, got pigments, gel and acrylic for sizing ):Picked out some images that need the gum look, Now I'm going to start shooting paper negs in a pinhole, have some LF negs picked out, some other subjects planned, Keep your fingers crossed for me....

[Pete Watkins]

If you're in Europe and want to try Gum be quick, those tossers in the EU Parliment are going to ban Dichromates in 2017.
Pete.

[Gregg Cook]

luckily I am in middle america...... Made my first print today, not so good, but I'm not discouraged. The light source was behind a cloud.....

I coated quite a bit of test paper, some on bad fiber prints, some on hot press watercolor, some on cold press. I will be playing freely..

[ndg]

luckily I am in middle america...... Made my first print today, not so good, but I'm not discouraged. The light source was behind a cloud.....

I coated quite a bit of test paper, some on bad fiber prints, some on hot press watercolor, some on cold press. I will be playing freely..

What light source are you using?
BTW, Try to reduce the variables. It makes it easier to make corrections as you go along and realize what works.

[Gregg Cook]

I'm using the sun.....

How much uv does a light box put out? Porta trace for example?

[ndg]

I'm using the sun.....

How much uv does a light box put out? Porta trace for example?

Is not so much the output as much as the consistency and predictability. Gum is difficult enough as is.

[Gregg Cook]

How long does precoated paper stay sensitized?
I got my first decent print on second coating.....

[Gregg Cook]

gum notes/
low contrast negs.... forget it.... won't work.....
higher levels of gum/pigment....just too dense,,,,
whole process.......new learning curve.....

Still at it...

[ndg]

gum notes/
low contrast negs.... forget it.... won't work.....
higher levels of gum/pigment....just too dense,,,,
whole process.......new learning curve.....

Still at it...

Keep at it! Using too much pigment prevents the permeation of UV light. One way out is to use half as much pigment as you are inclined to use.