Hi,
I researching papers for alternative processes as well as alternative processes themselves, i've come across a tidbit of information that i've found intiguing : Watercolor papers are gelatin seized...
Why did I find it interesting ? I'm in the process of trying to make oilprints, the process of which is very simple : you coat a piece of paper with gelatin, you sensitize it with potassium bichromate, and expose to daylight. The bichromate hardens the gelatin in areas of the negative that are lighter, and then you put a coat of oil ink or paint over all of that and you get an image... (it's not that simple, but it's the general idea of the process...)
Now, some people suggest using regular photographic paper that has been fixed to eliminate silver salts, leaving a hardened gelatin surface that can be bichromate-sensitized. If all you need is gelatin, could one use gelatin seized watercolor paper with some succes in making oilprints ?
I know that the Arches platinum paper is the recomended paper for alternative processes involving metallic salts and chemical developments, but since oilprints depend solely on gelatin hardening, and that the colors are provided by oils, the no-chemical-additives-to-the-paper rule is probably less severe for this process...
Any insight would be welcome, and i'll tell you how it goes with my current experiments...
Cheers,
PJ
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