The gum print,unlike traditional photographic prints can be physically manipulated considerably. During development, when the print is still wet, detail can be rubbed out with the use of a brush or water jet. Images can be re-exposed several times, either to deepen tone or to achieve definite colour shifts. Tone texture and colour can all be altered and manipulated.
Creating a gum print involeves applying an emulsion of watercolour and gum arabic, combined with an ammonium or potassium dichromate sensitiser onto sized paper. After drying, the emulsion is exposed by contact with a UV light source. The light sources that can be used are as follows: sunlamps, UV BL flourescent tubes, Mercury Vapour lamps or sunlight. To develop the image this is achieved by floating the print on water. The water penetrates the gum and permits the unhardened gum to disolve. This takes about 30 min. After one layer has dryed the paper may be recoated again. This can be done three to sixteen times, depending on the extent of staining of the paper by pigment.
I really find this method of creating a print very interesting, fun and exciting. It's exciting enough to take a photo and capture that image or moment but to take it a bit further and more interesting is even better! Check out this video for more interesting and fun images
It is interesting to learn about the creation of something we all take for granted in photography (color).
ReplyDeleteThanks for finding all of the videos - great post.
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