Checking in from Seattle

[mattragen]

Hi folks! Technically, I've been lurking here for years. But, in reality, I simply forgot that I had an account on this site and so Occam's Razor was applied. "Out of sight, doesn't exist."

Until this week, that is. I've been doing a fair amount of work with the gumoil process over the last 3-4 months. While browsing the web for gumoil photographers, I discovered (a) that there aren't many that have made decent prints and (b) that there were at least a few mentions here at photrio.com. I've had some fairly decent success with the process (see the India Portraits on my website and I've posted a few on Instagram as well. Anyway, I'm back on this site to see if there are any connections to be made.

The Hat Merchant at the Delhi Jama Masjid (Gumoil)

From a broader perspective, after 30+ years in the software industry and a little luck in the companies that I chose to work at, I have shifted gears to become a fine art photographer based in Seattle. I use the camera I have with me: DSLR, 35mm or MF film, iPhone, whatever. However, I print my images almost entirely with alternative processes, most often with digital negatives. To date, the processes that I work with include kallitype, platinum, bromoil, gumoil, cyanotype and salt prints in addition to more traditional black and white silver gelatin paper in a darkroom. So, I guess this makes me a digital/analog/hybrid photographer. I am now learning how to print in color with gum bichromate.

Anyway, hello!


Website: https://mattragenphotography.com
Instagram: @mattragen

 

[MattKing]

Welcome.
We may have some common acquaintances, through my previous participation with the North West Alternative Photography group.
I look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[mattragen]

Welcome.
We may have some common acquaintances, through my previous participation with the North West Alternative Photography group.
I look forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks! I do know several alt process photographers in the Northwest but I'm not familiar with the group and am curious to learn more. As an aside, I figured out how to add a photo have edited my post to include a gumoil photo.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I've done quite a few gumoil prints, but haven't made any for about a year. I have a few in my gallery here. It just didn't have the amount of detail retention that I so desire, and at the end of the day, the look wasn't for me. Then there's the yellowing from the oil paint on the back of the print that I found unsettling. Your print looks lovely... but sadly, the gumoil look is lost on the internet... just like my Carbon Transfer print relief. Please post more!

 

[MattKing]

Thanks! I do know several alt process photographers in the Northwest but I'm not familiar with the group and am curious to learn more. As an aside, I figured out how to add a photo have edited my post to include a gumoil photo.

The correct name for the no longer active group was the Pacifica Chapter of Center for Photographic History and Technology. We were based mostly in Bellingham, but there were meetings as far north as British Columbia and as far south as Astoria.
The group stopped operating because of COVID.

 

[BAC1967]

Welcome! I’m nearby in Bothell. I recognized Keechelus Lake in some of your photos. great work!

 

[koraks]

Welcome back, @mattragen ! Some impressive printing work you've got there - nice to have you on board!
Can you tell us a little on the materials you're using for gumoil?

 

[mattragen]

I've done quite a few gumoil prints, but haven't made any for about a year. I have a few in my gallery here. It just didn't have the amount of detail retention that I so desire, and at the end of the day, the look wasn't for me. Then there's the yellowing from the oil paint on the back of the print that I found unsettling. Your print looks lovely... but sadly, the gumoil look is lost on the internet... just like my Carbon Transfer print relief. Please post more!

Yep. Gumoil has its challenges and seeing images on the Internet can be underwhelming. But, I like the crunchy texture of the prints. It's an unforgiving process if you want detail - but I'm printing big on 22x30" paper with an image size of about 16x21" or about equal to A2 paper. At that scale, I seem to be getting enough detail. You have to step back from the print to see the whole thing. And, I haven't seen the yellow on the back of the print but my oldest prints are only about 8 months old at this point.

I'm envious of the carbon transfer prints. Some of the prints I've seen in person at Lightbox gallery in Astoria get that marvelous 3-D like texture from the carbon. But, I have work teed up for other processes for the next 1-2 years before I attempt to go down that rabbit hole.

 

[mattragen]

Welcome back, @mattragen ! Some impressive printing work you've got there - nice to have you on board!
Can you tell us a little on the materials you're using for gumoil?

Thanks! It took me a month of trial and error to get to these images. But, I was a teaching assistant for an alt process printing class and so I had the time and incentive to work on getting it right. And, I've found that the failure rate is about 50% - that is, something goes awry on about half the images that I start.

I've been using potassium dichromate and gum arabic (Bostick & Sullivan) mixed in a 1:2.5 ratio. I'm printing on Somerset paper that is 22x30" in size so I use between 8-10ml of emulsion per image. The oil paints I've used are Maimeri Classico with Ivory Black and Van Dyke Brown in roughly a 2:1 ratio. I use sponges to apply the paint mixture over the entire image surface and then also for the first removal after the water bath. And, then I use a foam brush for the detail work on the second removal and also through the two etching/clearing baths in order to clean out the last of the stain from the emulsion. The first clearing bath is a mix of potassium permanganate and glacial acetic acid and the second is a mix of sodium metabisulfite and sodium sulfite. Others have reported a yellow stain on the back of prints from the oil paints - but I haven't seen that yet and my oldest prints are now about 8 months old. It makes me wonder if the oil paint I'm using doesn't have that issue or if the two etching/clearing baths that I use have eliminating that downside.

Man In The Delhi Jama Masjid Mosque (Gumoil)

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Welcome to the group, Matt. I am sure there will be a few here that share your medium. I collaborated with a couple years ago for some articles. Hans de Bruijn comes to mind. Anyway, welcome.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome back and please check in more often. Great portraits.