Success with Oil Pigment process

[photomc]

Ann, know this is a little late, but when I read your post it made me think about a site I had seen before.. http://www.etheisen.com/articles.html ..you probably know it as well, but I found it nice to see, at least in pictures how the process was done. Having never tried it, found it interesting. How has yours turned out...do we get to see?

 

[ann]

thanks for the site. only need the get the ink and make some prints and i will be off and running.

If i can figure out how to scan something and get it on this site i will post something. It is probably going to be into May before I have anything as it will take until the end of the week or the beginning of the next for the ink to arrive. Am going to try several different papers and just be playful with no investment in the outcome.

 

[edbuffaloe]

I have some preliminary notes on bromoil at http://unblinkingeye.com/AAPG/Bromoil/bromoil.html I also have some scans of bromoils I have completed at http://www.unblinkingeye.com/Photographs/Bromoils/EBBrom010/ebbrom010.html Email me if you get stuck: edbuffaloe@unblinkingeye.com

 

[ann]

Thanks ed;
i have gone over your information on unblinkingeye. I have collected all the materials, now for the printing. Have several different papers; Agfa 118, Charcoal X, some ILford matt (fiber) next time i place and order with J&C i might get some bromoil paper.

I appreciate the offer for help and will not hesiate to take you up on your offer. My biggest concern is the ink. Getting it to the right consistency seems to be an issue with some. Just going to jump in and give it a go as i really like the effect.

 

[edbuffaloe]

I like the VanSon ink that you can get from offset litho supply stores. Get their rubber based ink. But there are plenty of other inks to use too. You should order some Canada balsam (from Artcraft) to get more tack--it effectively hardens, but also makes the ink more sticky. The main thing to remember is to start with hard ink and soften it as necessary. But the way I usually mix, I get some soft first, then tack it up with the balsam. Once you get the soak time right, you can apply hard ink, then resoak and apply slightly softer ink, and you can use a brush charged with hard ink to remove soft ink in the high values.

 

[ann]

order some ink from Bostick and Sullivan, thought about David Lewis", but will start with B&S. Will get some balsum. Have beeswax.

I noticed that Gene Laughter was using VanSon Ink, haven't seen it listed anywhere, but will keep my eye out for some. I have quite a bit , 4 oz tins of black and several other colors. Am sure that will last awhile.

My sense is , that this takes time and pratice (as if that is any different then learning to print well). The learning bin is empty waiting .........

 

[edbuffaloe]

I've been at it for over 2 years and am just now starting to feel I know what I'm doing. Sometimes.

 

[ann]

what has been the most challenging part? Some how i think it might be the inking or the removal of the ink; where and how much?

 

[edbuffaloe]

The real art is learning to judge ink consistency in relation to the condition of the matrix. Gene Laughter says he's seen a group of bromoilists take the same matrix (exposed, developed, and bleached identically) and each one soaked it for a different time or at different temperatures, and each one mixed his or her ink according to his/her own methods--and they all made viable bromoils. So there is no set way to do it--there is only the way that works for you.

I think it is important to see an experienced bromoilist ink a matrix at least once, and I'm looking forward to seeing how different bromoilists go about inking their matrices. I learned a lot just from watching Gene do his.

It is good to learn with a brush, but to start you simply have to get a lot of ink on the matrix and the fastest way to do that is with a roller. The white foam rollers sold at Lowe's are the best I've found. They are also good for clearing high values and rendering fine detail, even if you have done all the previous inking with a brush.

It is important to learn various methods for removing unwanted ink. The traditional method is "hopping" with a brush--either an uncharged brush or one charged with very hard ink. A wet paper towel can also be very useful, as can the cosmetic foam wedges that women use for putting on makeup (slightly moistened). Another means is to place the inked print in a tray of water and take a brush to the high values--sometimes this is the only way to clear delicate high values. You can use a knife blade, but that works best when the print is dry.

 

[edbuffaloe]

Also, in regard to ink--I have some of the Graphic Chemical & Ink Co ink sold by B&S. They repackage it into smaller tins than you get direct from the factory. This ink works well, but doesn't keep--it hardens all too quickly. That is why I like the VanSon ink. It stays useable much longer than other inks.

David Lewis' ink is excellent, but rather expensive for the small quantities he sells. I bought VanSon from a local litho supply. The black was about $12 for a tin, and the red, blue, yellow, and orange varied from $17 to $20. But these inks will probably last me for the rest of my life. Their consistency is smoother than any other ink I have used.

 

[ann]

I have Gene Laughter"s video that i have reviewed several times.

Got some form rollers from Home depot. Perhaps they are simar to the one's at Lowes but the next time i got by a Lowes i will check it out.

Working with the ink has been my bigget concern.

I thought perhapes i might check out a workshop with Gene Laughter as he is in my part of the world, but i have never heard back from him regarding his workshop schedule.

 

[edbuffaloe]

Try him at glaughter@earthlink.net. I took his workshop in January and he is an excellent teacher.

 

[ann]

I will give that a try. I used the email address listed on his website but don't remember what it was.