Bump...12 years since this thread started.
I'm going to order some cold pressed Arches Aquarelle for salt prints, and was wondering if anyone wanted to add their experience/wisdom about this paper.
Thanks, I'll give that a read.I have used the Bright White variety (although I reported it then as cold press, in retrospect it might have been the hot press sent to me by mistake from Blick and I was not smart enough then to figure out the difference) - and I printed it without using the salt, just straight silver nitrate -
Salt-Free Salt Print Toned with Himalayan Black Salt
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Didn't do the regular salt though. I suspect it would have more staining than the likes of COT, HPR etc on account of alkaline buffer. Also, my guess sensitized paper won't keep as long in comparison.
Try and report back....
:Niranjan.
Citric acid will become all the more important in the sensitizer. You can also try and pre-acidify the paper the way the New Cyano folks do. Kind of pricey paper though, even more than the other non-buffered papers.Went to the main Arches website, and they do add calcium carbonate. Will definitely share whatever happens.
Went to the main Arches website, and they do add calcium carbonate. Will definitely share whatever happens.
Yes, I am seeking paper texture...but not too much, and where that line is I won't know until it's been crossed.Speaking of the surfaces, I just checked my stash of both cold press and hot press papers (I bought pads.) The cold press is really out there in terms of roughness (more so than I have seen in other cold press papers)- top side more so than the other side. Hot press is really nice and smooth, the top side more than the other side. I don't know if you are looking for a rough surface particularly but might want to consider the differences.
:Niranjan.
Can you remember what size print it was?...I did initially acidify the paper with (citric acid solution) but the second time I used it - I just added 1 drop/ml of 40% to the sensitizer, along with a drop of tween and it came out looking just the same as the acidified paper and a lot easier to deal with....
Awesome...thanks a bunch!I acidify paper for VDB. I use acetic acid; it converts the calcium carbonate buffer into highly soluble calcium acetate, which washes out. Citric acid leaves calcium citrate, most of which stays in the paper, and has caused issues for me. Oxalic acid is similar to citric acid. That said, a lot of people seem to have no problems with using them both.
I just use 4% distilled white vinegar, diluted 1+1 with tap water. Five minutes in that, followed by five minutes wash. Any residual acetic acid evaporates on drying.
Citric acid should be about 2% as well. It exhausts through use. If you don't see bubbles coming off the paper, you need to make up a fresh solution.
Can you remember what size print it was?
Thanks a bunch again...that gives me an idea of where to start with the amount per image area ratio.I was doing 6x8 inch paper- 5x7 negative. Using 2 ml+ 2 drops citric + 1 drop tween
What makes you say that most of it stays in the paper?Citric acid leaves calcium citrate, most of which stays in the paper
Calcium citrate is 12000x more soluble than calcium oxalate (by weight). In what way do you think they are similar?Oxalic acid is similar to citric acid.
IME citric acid is very useful for acidifying papers and chelating (aiding the removal of) iron in siderotypes. It's very convenient in that you don't have to store large volumes of liquid or corrosive concentrates.Have seen references to citric acid being used as well and that's what I have on hand...any tips on dilution & time?
Thanks...will add that to my list of options to try out.IME citric acid is very useful for acidifying papers and chelating (aiding the removal of) iron in siderotypes. It's very convenient in that you don't have to store large volumes of liquid or corrosive concentrates.
To acidify papers try 6% citric acid for at least 15min. Make sure the papers don't stick to eachother. Hang to dry back to back without rinsing.
If you want to pre-shrink the papers at the same time you can use hot tap water to mix the acid. (But with Arches Aquarelle the sizing will start washing away above 30C)
I hadn't seen that video yet...thanksBill Schwab has a nice video on the process:
Interesting that you shared the bit about the paper not fizzing, as that's what happened. There were a few bubbles, but that was probably just air finding a path through the sizing.Citric acid is probably as good as anything for neutralizing the carbonate buffer in paper.
The 15 minute soak recommended by FotoD above is probably overkill, but not harmful.
Just watch the paper carefully and when the bubbling has stopped you can remove the paper. In my experience most papers need only two or three minutes in acid.
Also, if the paper does not fizz when you first put it in the acid, you have exceeded the capacity of your solution to neutralize the buffer and you'll need to make more solution.
The bubbles formed when carbonate buffered paper is placed in an acidic solution are carbon dioxide a product of the neutralization reaction. Hence if you don't see bubbles you are not getting neutralization.
Weird...
6% citric acid...no fizz.
5% vinegar 1:2 with water...no fizz.
5% vinegar 1:1 with water...no fizz.
5% vinegar full strength...no fizz.
Just tried a step tablet with one coat each of salt & silver on the 'back side' of a piece of cold pressed Arches Aquarelle with no pre-treatment. Took a bit more solution than Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag. Image smooth with no mottling, but looks like a double coat of silver will be needed. Very warm colour and barely budged with the gold/borax toning dilution I was using on HPR. After final wash very nice chocolatey brown. No idea what's going to happen when it dries.
Using the 9x12 300gsm water colour pad paper...maybe it's different?
Not what I was expecting, but great fun
Going to have lunch, then back at it.
Conservation
Fungicidal treatment to prevent the appearance of mould. With alkaline reserve, acid-free, no optical brightening agents (permanent in accordance with ISO 9706)
ARCHES® Aquarelle - Arches Papers
Inimitable thanks to its exclusive production process: gelatin sized "to the core", ARCHES Aquarelle is the watercolor paper most prized by artists.arches-papers.com
ISO 9706
The norm ISO 9706 describes the criteria for paper permanent as follows : - high quality pulp, with a low level of remaining lignin. - minimum requested for the tear resistance. - tolerances (mini / maxi) for the cold extracted pH value. - minimum of 2% chalk equivalent as a buffer.
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