Rangefinder Filipinas Alternative Processes Workshop N 1

Resource Person: Ding Panganiban

Ding Panganiban is a Filipino Fine-Art photographer based in Paris, France. On March 16, 2013, Mr Panganiban conducted an Alternative-Process workshop with Rangefinder Filipinas.

Gum bichromate, or gum dichromate as it is also known, is a photographic printing process invented in the early days of photography when, in 1839, Mungo Ponton discovered that dichromates are light sensitive. William Henry Fox Talbot later found that colloids such as gelatin and gum arabic became insoluble in water after exposure to light. Alphonse Poitevin added carbon pigment to the colloids in 1855, creating the first carbon print. In 1858, John Pouncy used colored pigment with gum arabic to create the first color images. Gum prints tend to be multi-layered images sometimes combined with other alternative process printing methods such as cyanotype and platinotype. A heavy weight cotton watercolor or printmaking paper that can withstand repeated and extended soakings is best. Each layer of pigment is individually coated, registered, exposed and washed. Separation negatives of cyan, magenta, and yellow or red, green, and blue are used for a full-color image. Some photographers prefer substituting the cyan emulsion in the CMYK separations with a cyanotype layer. A simple duotone separation combining orange watercolor pigment and a cyanotype can yield surprisingly beautiful results. Low density photographic negatives of the same size as the final image are used for exposing the print. No enlarger is used, but instead, a contact printing frame or vacuum exposure frame is used with an ultraviolet light source such as a mercury vapor lamp, a common fluorescent black light, or the sun. The negative is sandwiched between the prepared paper and a sheet of glass in registration with previous passes. The print is then floated face down in a bath of room-temperature water to allow the soluble gum, excess dichromate, and pigment to wash away. Several changes of water bath are necessary to clear the print. Afterwards, the print is hung to dry. When all layers are complete and dry, a clearing bath of sodium metabisulfite is used to extract any remaining dichromate so the print will be archival. -wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gum_bichromate

The Workshop

Introduction to the process, and history. An overview of the method. Safety and Hazard Concerns.

The Workshop

The Tools and Materials:

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Chemicals: Gum Arabic, Sodium Bichromate, Pigment (watercolour base). Tools Flat brushes, Mixing Vessels, Measuring Cups, Mixing Sticks, Individual Containers for Participants. Watercolour paper, medium to heavy weights. Printing Frame. Exposing Source (Bright Sunlight or Artificial Light Source with strong UV).

The Workshop

The Type of Print, as well as the Hues possible are discussed. The importance of the choice of paper type is stressed. The Ideal Print Quality is demonstrated based on finished examples.

The Workshop

Like any chemical based processed, the final Print is made from a Negative. The negative can be an original camera negative. Or it can be a copy negative created digitally from another smaller negative, a digital capture, or even an existing photograph. The printing negative must be the same size as the output print since the print is produced using the Contact Printing method. Ideally the printing p negative is made on a transparent acetate base, but one made on paper can be used as well. The Paper Negative is treated with wax and heat to make it more translucent.

The Workshop

The Finished Waxedpaper Negative, ready to be used for Printing. The negative used for Alternative Printing Processes is usually high in contrast. This negative can also be used for other Alternative Processes like Salt Printing, Albumen Printing, etc. Paper was the base for negatives in some 19th century Photography media like the Calotype, and the early Kodak rolls.

The Workshop

Preparing the Chemical Coating Pigment is added to the Gum Arabic solution. Gum Arabic is colourless. The colour of the pigment will determine the hue of the print. Pigment is added sparingly, just enough to colour the gum solution significantly. Some Bichromate is then added to the pigmented gum solution. The Bichromate makes the gum solution lightsensitive. The reactions which arise from photosensitivity create the imprint on the paper.

The Workshop

Mr Panganiban demonstrates the proper application of the sensitive coating on paper. The brush strokes, as well as the amount of the sensitised gum, are very critical.

The sensitised compound has very low sensitivity. Its preparation and the coating on paper can be done in bright room light. The compound will only react to bright sunlight or a light source with rich Ultraviolet output.
After coating, the paper is set aside to dry.

The Workshop

The Brush strokes, like in Painting, are critical to the quality of the final print. The strokes must be even and feathering must be avoided in the picture areas.

Strokes which leave thinner or thicker coatings must be avoided since these make uneven coatings which will cause uneven densities in the final print. The coated area, ideally, must be slightly bigger than the negatives picture area.

The Workshop

The Participants coat their own paper. Contact with the sensitised Gum solution or contamination with other chemicals must be avoided. Contamination can ruin the resulting print.

The Workshop

Once the coating dries, the negatives are prepared for printing. The negatives are laid next to the sensitised papers on which these would be printed on. The coating is checked for eveness.

The Workshop

The Negative and the Paper are sandwiched together in a printing frame. The printing frame binds the negative and paper intimately. Less than perfect contact is not desirable- this will lead to unsharp details. The printing frame is then laid under the Exposing Light Source.

The Workshop

Bright Sunlight is normally used. In the Workshop, artificial sunlight was used. This source approximated the effect of bright sunlight at noon. A test exposure is made first. Gum Bichromate is most difficult in this regard since unlike the other processes, no reaction is immediately seen- the coating does not show any physical change. In other processes like Cyanotype or Albumen printing, the image is seen to come out, slowly darkening during exposure.

The Workshop

Placing the printing frame closer to the light source will shorten the Exposure Time.

After testing, it was determined that the exposure time was 3-5 minutes.

The Workshop

After the 3-5 minute exposure time, the printing frame is removed from the exposing light source. There is no perceptible change on the paper itself.

The Workshop

The paper is removed from the printing frame. It will appear as it had before exposure. In Gum Bichromate printing, light exposure causes the bichromated pigmented gum to harden and become insoluble in water. The areas shielded by the density parts of the negative will remain soluble, and those exposed by the clear parts of the negative will harden.

The Workshop

The unhardened parts slowly dissolve in water, leaving only hardened, pigmented parts.

The cleared parts will let the paper base show through, and the hardened pigmente d portions are the image areas.

The Workshop

After a few more minutes, the Image becomes more visible.

The Workshop

Sometimes the exposed gum layer needs to be scrubbed to make the image come out faster.

Normally, the gum layer is quite fragile and lifts off easily if the water is too warm or through physical contact.
But sometimes,the gum layer is gets too hard for normal lifting through soaking.

The Workshop

Spraying the expose gum layer can hasten the lifting process and increase the image contrast a bit.

The Workshop

Local details can be touched up by brushing off gum areas which do not lift off entirely.

The Workshop

The Washed Print.

The Workshop

The Washed Print.

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The Washed Print. The wet print is airdried slowly.

The Workshop

The wet print is airdried slowly.

The Workshop

The Dried Prints are quite Stable, if the washing is thorough and no chemicals are retained by the paper. The Picture is as permanent as the pigment used. Unlike most photographic processes, the Gum print is relatively stable and permanent. Pigments last a very long time, unlike the inks or dyes used in conventional or current printing methods.

c. 2013. Rangefinder Filipinas & Jay Javier