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Evaluation: Printing on an Azo-like Emulsion

I think we're getting off topic here from the question of evaluating an Azo-like emulsion to what seems to be personal territory. Ray, I think Ron has established that he doesn't feel at liberty to answer these questions, so I would ask that you not pursue them here.
 

What David said. Let's get back on topic.
 
Thank you David and Suzanne.

I wish to apologize to the readers for this digression and to Ray for my erronious inclusion of a private note about Sheldon. It seems it was posted here in a different context and I confused the two (see Ray's posts about Sheldon in another thread).

That was an outright error on my part.

When I consult or teach, the students or the client get everything. The course starts at noon on Sunday and runs till noon Friday. The hours are about 7 am until 9 pm daily. The cost of the course and my share are determined by the organization giving the workshop, and not by me. This is to anwer any lingering questions. The students also get periodic updates for the remainder of at least 1 if not 2 years depending on their interest and my ability to stay in touch with them. So, they get additional information that I may post here, but in advance of the post, or they get information that I do not post here. They also get offers of chemicals that are mentioned in class. These chemicals are sent free to the interested students.

PE
 
Being a Lightning Rod

People comment on my posts quite frequently in e-mail or PMs. I get a lot of unsolicited commentary on what I post or what others post in response to my posts. It is a neverending story to me.

This unsolicited and anyonymous poster was sent to me not too long ago and illustrates in its own way why I am reluctant to make more information public. I hope it does not offend anyone. It is not my intent. It is merely to get a medium level established in the weird and bizarre life that I sometimes lead as I open my daily mail. Some are much more bizarre!

It is appropriate to be posted here as it pertains to this thread I think.

I hope you enjoy this poster and get as much of a laugh out of it as I did when I got it.

PE
 

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The person behind that graphic might have been inspired by the movie "Murder on the Screen".
 

Whoever sent you that obviously thinks quite a lot of you, to go through that much trouble.

Question- Do you think we will ever see a hand coatable AZO emulsion that can be purchased mixed up? I think Lodima is interesting, but I wouldn't mind coating some rougher papers... understand if you can't speak on it, but reading the OP it was the immediate question that came to my mind.
 
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WOW! Never thought I'd see my name on a movie bill, much less in company with an all-star cast. Thanks to whoever the "artiste`" may be.
 
JBrunner said:
Whoever sent you that obviously thinks quite a lot of you, to go through that much trouble.
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Jason;

I wish it were true but based on the rest of my messages I would say that your statement only has a 50:50 chance of being right.

David;

Thanks for the reference URL above.

The availability of Formazo seems to have been a well kept secret. It is now available premixed and ready for coating. It needs a suitable surfactant with some methods of application or on some surfaces and it will need a hardener on all surfaces. It will need to be processed using a hardening fix. It is available in two contrast grades. The reference URL is the lower contrast grade.

PE
 


Are there more detailed instructions on the use of Formazo on the Formulary site somewhere? Something that addresses the issues you mention here?
 
JBrunner said:
- but I wouldn't mind coating some rougher papers...
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Hi Jason,

I fully enjoyed printing on the coated water color paper samples that Ron sent to me. The look is a cross between silver gelatin and pt/pd. One could really make something of it I think.
 
I wonder if it's like this stuff
or "better"
Has anyone tried this product

Dead Link Removed
 
sun of sand said:
I wonder if it's like this stuff
or "better"
Has anyone tried this product

Dead Link Removed
Click to expand...

This is a good question if it refers to qualitative characteristics -- what do each of the commercial liquid emulsions look like on various substrates and how do they handle. I believe it's the only important question. Perhaps Martin Reed can weigh in here. I'm sure each brand has its own look and I've certainly seen some gorgeous work done with the 'liquid emulsions'.

What these products are not about is ease of use. Give or take a step or two at most, making your own brew is not a bit more difficult or complicated than preparing a commercial product for coating and it is far and away less expensive. The costarica stuff is insanely expensive. It's just salted gelatin. You still have to buy the silver nitrate.

I guess I might as well drop in a shameless plug here. I'll be teaching two silver gelatin classes at the Photographers Formulary next summer. Paper making in June and Dry Plate Photography in August. If Kirk Keyes can arrange vacation time, he'll be helping out. But, I have to say, I hope people don't wait for one thing or another to get started with emulsion making. There is a wealth of information available today, as close as your computer screen. Mostly, it's just a matter of deciding to give it a go.

Denise Ross
www.thelightfarm.com
 
sun of sand said:
I wonder if it's like this stuff
or "better"
Has anyone tried this product

Dead Link Removed
Click to expand...

This seems to be just a rip-off. You have to read further and further and then it comes clear that this is not an emulsion at all. It has no silver halides, it's not light-sensitive. It's just gelatine and chloride (table salt). You have to make the emulsion by yourself, by adding silver nitrate and do precipitation, digestion etc. This "product" may save you a few seconds of measuring chloride but that's it. Buy plain gelatin, it's cheaper.

Or, I may be completely wrong. That manual makes no sense.
 
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Commercial "albumen paper" sold in the 19th century was just paper coated with salted albumen that still needed to be sensitized with silver nitrate by the photographer--but at least it was coated evenly on paper, so it was something.
 
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