I'm just lining the negative over the print by eye and taping it down. Before I was finished I actually printed on this same sheet about 8 times before I actually did something right (there is also a little bit of fog in the image). A lightbox was also NOT used for the registration so I was really winging it, but a lightbox from ebay is on the way to me sometime this week for my next printing session so registration won't be an issue from now on.
I used to use a lightbox but soon found it impossible with certain colors. I now use the straight pin method (works well for new prints, but if you're printing over older platinums, you obviously have no choice but to line it up by eye).
Maybe it's just the scan, but it looks to me like you've got quite a bit of overall pigment stain going on. What paper are you using and how did you size it before the gum layer? If you're going for the gritty gum look, then disregard my comment, but personally, I prefer smooth tones.
Maybe it's just the scan, but it looks to me like you've got quite a bit of overall pigment stain going on. What paper are you using and how did you size it before the gum layer? If you're going for the gritty gum look, then disregard my comment, but personally, I prefer smooth tones.
Kerik, the original pd print is actually very grainy, but you are right about my overall pigment stain. I think the problem is the first time I sized the print I did a horrible job and this is where the overall stain came from.
Gelatin sizing on Fabriano Aristico follow Clay Harmon's Gum Over article on www.unblinkingeye.com
Kerik, the original pd print is actually very grainy, but you are right about my overall pigment stain. I think the problem is the first time I sized the print I did a horrible job and this is where the overall stain came from.
Gelatin sizing on Fabriano Aristico follow Clay Harmon's Gum Over article on www.unblinkingeye.com
I understand the pd print is grainy, but I'm talking about the colored speckling throughout the image which is most evident in the white border. Am I correct in assuming the border was coated with gum? If all is going well, that border should be paper white when you're done. (Unless you don't want that, of course.)
One more thing. If you haven't already done this, I would stongly suggest you print some gum layers by themselves, not over a pt/pd image. This will teach you a lot more about the process and you will get a better feeling for what's going on.