Bromoil - anyone?

[jd callow]

Gene,

Your posts in the gallery are wonderful...thanks,

Dave in Vegas

Wow are they ever. I am floored by how well the technique works with the subject to make them so very expressive.

 

[sanking]

I was fortunate to know Norman Gryspeerdt and visited him at his home in Eastbourne. Norman generously gave me one of his original prints as well as a number of his personal books on bromoil. "I'll never crack the covers of these books again, Gene." "Take these," he said. "You can put them to use." What a nice, talented man he was! A giant of photography!

Hi Gene,

I am very happy to see your postings here. it is really good to hear from you. Has been a long time. Do you still have the place in Myrtle Beach?

Bromoil is a fascinating process, capable of almost any kind of long a person may want, from fine grain and great detail to fully pictorial. I have only dabbled with it personally, but some years ago I wrote an introduction for a book on Schmide de las Heras, a pictorial photographer from A Coruña. The book was published by the Xunta de Galicia and contains some remarkable plates of Schmidt's bromoils, which were made in virtually every tone imaginable. I also cataloged the collection, which is owned by a good friend of mine from A Coruña, Jose Vázquez Caruncho, a great photographer in his own right who has published several books of photographs of Galicia. Jose was the god son of Schmidt, and inherited his collection of bromoil prints.

One of the greatest bromoil workers of all time, from a purely technical perspective, was Joaquim Pla Janini from Barcelona. He produced some absolutely perfect bromoil transfers in very large sizes. Pla's work, unfortunately, is not very well known outside of Spain. A nice catalog of the work was published by the Fundacio la Caixa of Barcelona in 1996 after exhibitions in Barcelona, Tarragona and Palma.

Sandy

 

[Dave Wooten]

I was wondering if a Gene Laughter bromoil workshop would be a possibility....just wondering

 

[Whiteymorange]

I was wondering if a Gene Laughter bromoil workshop would be a possibility....just wondering

I'd be all over that!

 

[Dave Wooten]

Well Whitey, that makes two already, should we get a class roster together and petition Gene?

 

[Gene_Laughter]

Keeping on keeping on ...

Sandy, Yep I still have a second home at North Myrtle Beach, but I'm not finding the time to use it as much as I would like!

Dave and Whiteymorange, I have been dealing with some serious health issues for the past couple of years, but hopefully am now on the rebound. I'm presently in the middle of putting together an international bromoil show here in Richmond and building a new house. When I finish these projects (next spring) I do hope to conduct a three day weekend bromoil workshop limited to four students.

Cheers,

Gene

 

[Dave Wooten]

Which 4?

 

[Gene_Laughter]

Bromoil Workshop

Dave Wooten asked: "Which 4?"

Strange. I answered this with another reply and it never made it through. I'll try again.

The first 4 to respond affirmatively and send me their deposit check after I announce the dates. I had a waiting list, but time has passed and I'm starting over. It will most likely be in mid April. Stay tuned ... and in touch! Cheers, Gene

 

[roy]

I was fortunate to know Norman Gryspeerdt and visited him at his home in Eastbourne. Norman generously gave me one of his original prints as well as a number of his personal books on bromoil. "I'll never crack the covers of these books again, Gene." "Take these," he said. "You can put them to use." What a nice, talented man he was! A giant of photography!

Although I never met Norman, I used to see him when I went to the opening nights of the annual exhibition held by the Eastbourne Photographic Society. An indication of his personality certainly comes over on his video. I attended a workshop given by Maija McDonald and would like to try more. I am impressed by yours, particularly the use of Agfa Multi-contrast Classic paper.

 

[Gene_Laughter]

Roy - Maija is a very good personal friend of mine. Quite a lady! I have spent time with she and Jack at their home in Malvern and they visited us here in Virginia a few years ago. Cheers, Gene

 

[Dave Wooten]

I have been dealing with some serious health issues for the past couple of years, but hopefully am now on the rebound. I'm presently in the middle of putting together an international bromoil show here in Richmond and building a new house.

When I finish these projects (next spring) I do hope to conduct a three day weekend bromoil workshop limited to four students.

Cheers,

Gene[/QUOTE]

Gene,

How are you doing?
Dave in Vegas

 

[terri]

I have been dealing with some serious health issues for the past couple of years, but hopefully am now on the rebound. I'm presently in the middle of putting together an international bromoil show here in Richmond and building a new house.

When I finish these projects (next spring) I do hope to conduct a three day weekend bromoil workshop limited to four students.

Cheers,

Gene

Gene,

How are you doing?
Dave in Vegas

Just to revive this thread - and I am wondering that, myself. I just joined APUG and am thrilled to see a discussion of bromoil printmaking. I am basically self-taught (with the aid of Gene Laughter's book and video) and would love to attend a workshop.

I've used Agfa MC 118 almost exclusively (my favorite hand coloring paper, as well). I'm reading conflicting things about Agfa these days, and wonder if there will be an issue getting this paper in the future. It does so many things, so well.

What are other good paper choices? I'm not sure I'm brave enough yet to try the liquid emulsion route.

 

[tom_micklin]

terri,
I also used the Agfa 118 quite a bit for Bromoil, but switched to Lewis Bromoil Paper and liked it a lot better.
The photo formulary sells it - www.photoformulary.com or you can buy it direct from David Lewis at www.bromoil.com
Regards,
Tom

 

[Travis Nunn]

As far as I know, Agfa paper is gone. There may be some boxes of paper that are still around, but once its gone its gone. JandC sells bromoprint. I'm new to bromoil, but I've gotten pretty good results from it. I haven't tried David Lewis' paper so I can't comment on it.

 

[terri]

Thanks, Travis & Tom.

Wow. Didn't know it was that close to the end of the line for the paper. I still have some, but guess it will be best used for comparing to other papers now.

I will doubtless be trying the Lewis paper next. I'll have to have a moment of silence and maybe light a candle first, though. The Agfa 118 has been my best friend for years.