All About Argyrotypes

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Oh, that's just gorgeous.

+1

@MurrayMinchin: are you using a kit or making Silver Sulphamate yourself as outlined in Mike Ware's writeup?

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Oh, that's just gorgeous. I mean, the digital image goes quite a way in suggesting what the actual print must look & feel like, and that certainly must be gorgeous!

Thanks a bunch. Zeroing in on which Gampi right now. Platinum should be here in a while, then it'll be deciding which to use (platinum or palladium) or in what combination.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

+1

@MurrayMinchin: are you using a kit or making Silver Sulphamate yourself as outlined in Mike Ware's writeup?

Hi Ragu, I'm using Mike Ware's articles so using Silver Oxide as an ingredient which I guess ends up being Silver Sulphamate after mixing the sensitizer.

 

[koraks]

Thanks a bunch. Zeroing in on which Gampi right now. Platinum should be here in a while, then it'll be deciding which to use (platinum or palladium) or in what combination.

Your print along with the video @loccdor posted here have got me musing about finally giving these gorgeous papers a go. I'm leaning initially towards salt prints at least to come to grips with the unique nature of the material (read: figuring out how to handle the wet sheets...) Ideally I'd end up with some other process, preferably pigment-based, but I haven't figured out a good direction yet.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Your print along with the video @loccdor posted here have got me musing about finally giving these gorgeous papers a go. I'm leaning initially towards salt prints at least to come to grips with the unique nature of the material (read: figuring out how to handle the wet sheets...) Ideally I'd end up with some other process, preferably pigment-based, but I haven't figured out a good direction yet.

I've seen other people coat light weight Kozo and Gampi when it's dry, but I've been using another technique.

1) Place Gampi on a sheet of glass.
2) With a brush, wet out Gampi with distilled water
3) Tease a thin sheet of plastic (strip of OHP film or Rubylith) under one short edge
4) Lift wrinkled Gampi off glass, then drape slowly back onto glass from opposite edge, so it lays flat
5) With wet brush, stroke out gently from centre outwards until it has an even sheen and no bubbles
6) use a paper towel to blot off sheen...but no more!
7) Coat with normal amount of sensitizer
8) Takes between 15 to 20 minutes to dry in the dark under a fan
9) Using a razor, gently release edges and lift off glass.

This ensures the even absorption of sensitizer.

You can use pieces of OHP film or Rubylith to lift the paper out of solutions by gently guiding it under a short edge, holding the Gampi in place with a thumb, then slooowly lift it out of solution while holding the OHP at a slight angle to create enough friction so it doesn't fall off.

To dry...drape on glass, blot with paper, place under fan, put a small weight on a corner so it doesn't blow away if it comes off the glass. Takes about 30 minutes.

As of this date, that's how I'm doing things...subject to change at any time!

 

[koraks]

Thanks, very useful tips for sure!

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Thanks, very useful tips for sure!

Also, beware that some Washi has a rough and a smooth side. Typically, the smooth side is for the artwork and the rough side is for glueing to heavier support paper using wheat starch glue. If you coat the rough side with sensitizer, it can fuzz up fast even with light brush strokes.

 

[loccdor]

Your print along with the video @loccdor posted here have got me musing about finally giving these gorgeous papers a go.

Happy to be on a tangent of inspiration. I think that is the best possible outcome and purpose from a forum like this. Looking forward to your work which I know will be excellent.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Hi Ragu, I'm using Mike Ware's articles so using Silver Oxide as an ingredient which I guess ends up being Silver Sulphamate after mixing the sensitizer.

Ok, I would have to make some Silver Oxide first as I have only Silver Nitrate. If you keep posting as excellent a result as the previous one, I'll be amply motivated to take that step soon.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Ok, I would have to make some Silver Oxide first as I have only Silver Nitrate. If you keep posting as excellent a result as the previous one, I'll be amply motivated to take that step soon.

Ware gives several ways to get from Silver Nitrate to Silver Sulphamate, but I suspect you are pretty comfortable in a chemistry lab so shouldn't be a problem.

There are struggles early on adjustment curve wise (some people call them Angrytypes) but processing isn't one of them. Two weak citric acid soaks with tap water (I have jugs sitting around for at least a day to dechlorinate) then into a toning solution about 1/2 as strong as you would for a Kallitype (this may be because I'm using Gampi and not heavier European 100% cotton papers) then two minutes in a 2% (Ware also mentions 2.5%) Sodium Thiosulphate fixer. He makes no mention of a second fix or hypo clearing agent. I'm using one year old sensitizer. Very quick and uncomplicated processing

I'll dive into the research/testing regarding the fix/washing end of things before doing final prints.

Hint: being a printing out process you get a pretty good idea of what an image will look like right out of the exposure unit, but they go wandering all over the map as they move through the solutions and dry down hugely in the low values....make no snap judgments until fully dry!

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Been a while...printer died

Recently got some platinum to test against palladium.

Used 3 drops of palladium (20% solution) in 200ml water with 1 gram of citric acid and toned for 8 minutes. The platinum toned print was also 3 drops for the same time.

Looking at the unexposed bottom edge of the prints, the palladium toned one is darker...maybe taking up a slight stain from the palladium toner itself? The platinum toned one doesn't have a stain and matches the untoned control print.

There wasn't as much of a difference as I was expecting. The platinum print is cooler for sure, having brighter high tones as well as better mid-tone local contrast. The palladium print appears to have a deeper black. May need to increase drops if using platinum alone, to get blacks deeper.

Have tried one with 2 drops platinum and 1 drop palladium which is drying right now. Attempting to find a combination with the best of both worlds...

iPhone snap. Please disregard uneven lighting and wrinkles.

 

[FotoD]

Looks nice!

Sounds like my experience with Pt - great tonality and separation in shadows and highlights, but maybe less Dmax and contrast than with gold. And the color can be very neutral if there is enough humidity during exposure.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Looks nice!

Sounds like my experience with Pt - great tonality and separation in shadows and highlights, but maybe less Dmax and contrast than with gold. And the color can be very neutral if there is enough humidity during exposure.

Thanks.

Back in my enlarging days Ansco 130 had too much snap & sizzle for my tastes, so have preferred longer scale, less punchy images for a long time.

The 2/3 Pt 1/3 Pd print was nice. Will do a 50/50 one tomorrow, just to be sure. The Pt sure did reveal some extra subtitles which aren't there in the fully Pd toned print.

I live in a temperate rainforest and the RH in my basement dimroom is 60% today...would you consider that high humidity?

 

[koraks]

Very pretty; which paper is this?

 

[MurrayMinchin]

It's in the link below.

Being handmade, the weight appears to vary from batch to batch. I've only ordered twice, and the recent shipment is a bit thicker than the first so a little easier to handle when wet.

Ohmi Gampi #13

Size : Approx. 97 x 63cm Thickness : Thin (Avg. 21gsm) Color : Natural beige Material : Gampi

ozuwashi.com

 

[koraks]

Ah, that one I don't have. I was curious if perhaps it was one of the ones I happened to have bought as well. I have:

Kurotani Kozo #6 Natural

Omi Gampi Small Size Thick

Tosa White Paper W75cm (Limited Quantity)

Ohmi Mitsumata #6

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Ah, that one I don't have. I was curious if perhaps it was one of the ones I happened to have bought as well. I have:

Kurotani Kozo #6 Natural

Omi Gampi Small Size Thick

Tosa White Paper W75cm (Limited Quantity)

Ohmi Mitsumata #6

Going into this I thought Kozo would be the choice, but Gampi is winning, so far. Thought I would dislike Gampi's sheen, but it won me over on how it reveals fine details. Your experience/preference may be vastly different!

 

[MurrayMinchin]

A heads-up to the Argyrotypist's (is that even a word?) using thin Washi papers out there.

3 drops of 20% Pt or Pd in 200ml distilled water + 1 gram of citric acid and toning for 8 minutes will do a small number of 5x7's, and if you cover the tray overnight, will keep going the next day. Haven't tried adding a drop to freshen it up, but that seems plausible.

When toning step tablets you can watch the toning progress from the highest tones to the lowest. Entertaining actually, as they distinctly change, one by one.

Toning fully during testing and doing work prints is important because you can't judge a print until it is fully dried and fully adhered to a white support paper. (All the dark tones and fine details will look flat & mushy until you do).

Also, as can be seen by the untoned print below with the same exposure and processing as the Pt toned print beside it, it looks a tad dark in the mid-tones. Toning seems to intensify the blacks, lift the mid-tones and shadow detail, improve local contrast overall, and bring subtle details in the high tones.

Another bad copy photo:

 

[FotoD]

RH in my basement dimroom is 60% today...would you consider that high humidity?

I'm sure that's plenty humid. Below 40% or so seems to tone less, and below 30% not much at all. Roughly.