Baryta paper, big sheet success

[M Carter]

So after getting tired of fixing out 16x20 paper for coating, I took a chance on a roll of Canson Baryta. My word, you can make gorgeous coatings on that if you have a project that needs a smooth "factory" look. Could not find Baryta in reasonable quantities at larger sizes, the roll is 24" by- I dunno, the width of Rhode Island?

Anyway - my process, soak the paper, lay it on glass, cover with mylar and squeegie, then towel off the edges and glass puddles. I have 2 pieces of 1/2" angle iron painted black, with stick-on foam running the length - those are set to contain the edges from spillover. Coat gelatin + glyoxal with a glass rod; dry overnight. Then repeat the process with emulsion.

For these big sheets, I dampen a towel and put it in the freezer for ten minutes and move it to a small soft "lunch" cooler. After coating (both the gelatin step and the emulsion step), I lay out the towel folded double, and carefully transfer the glass sheet to it - the emulsion sets very quickly this way, the glass gets very cold. I use bondo squeegies to trim off the overage, and I have a thin aluminum bar with metal clips affixed to it - I clip it along the bottom of the paper and use the bar to lift the sheet from the glass, no curling. Hang to dry.

I needed a good bromoil paper and man, this is really the shizz.

 

[Peter Schrager]

Seems like a lot of work
I just coat Baryta paper dry
Tape top and bottom to glass
Using a larger level piece of glass underneath
I don't use guides just a meyer rod
Remove and coat next piece
Bt the time I have about 12 sheets the first one is ready to remove from the glass as the gelatin has set...I've done up to 11x14 like this

 

[M Carter]

Seems like a lot of work
I just coat Baryta paper dry
Tape top and bottom to glass
Using a larger level piece of glass underneath
I don't use guides just a meyer rod
Remove and coat next piece
Bt the time I have about 12 sheets the first one is ready to remove from the glass as the gelatin has set...I've done up to 11x14 like this

It goes very fast, but coating 16x20 or 20x24 all those steps have given me great sheets - I do use the Light Farm wet coating method, it's worked best for me. I coat fairly thick for the bromoil beating. Without the guides I was wasting too much emulsion and it would spread beyond the glass, what a mess! My darkroom is pretty big but I'd have nowhere to put a dozen 30" pieces of glass.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Gotta see those prints Michael!

 

[Peter Schrager]

either way I'm impressed!!!

 

[M Carter]

Gotta see those prints Michael!

The project that got me coating - the main print is done, I've photographed the print 4x5 to re-print it on a large canvas with liquid emulsion - so I get the bromoil look but on canvas, which I'll then tint with oil paints. it's a cool look, very "ancient"-sorta. I had to build a spray booth and get an HVLP rig to coat 30" canvas, a brush wasn't working for me. This was my first test of photographing bromoil and then printing that on canvas and tinting (the bromoil was on the last of my old Agfa paper) - I want to eventually get these up to like 60" - I lay awake thinking of this stuff...

 

[Patrick Robert James]

That doesn't look like any bromoil I've ever seen! Very nice Michael.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Probably would make a great substrate after coating with gelatin, for carbon transfer.

 

[M Carter]

That doesn't look like any bromoil I've ever seen! Very nice Michael.

Thanks! It's a bromoil print about 11x14, then the print was shot 4x5 and printed on emulsion-on-canvas, then tinted with oil paint glazes - it's a cool look I'm trying to get more done with, but perfecting my paper coating, making a spray booth (for canvas), and learning to spray emulsion have all been a HAUL... I'm finally set up for accurate wall projection with a way to align everything with the laser. getting close...