Vellum for alternative process

[tnp651]

Has anyone tried printing on vellum? Do wet alt-process solutions work with vellum? The thickest vellum I’ve found is 24 lb (90 gsm) which is likely to wrinkle. I’d like to try orotones with kallitypes.

 

[koraks]

What material are you referring to, exactly? I suspect you mean the tracing paper stuff? I think 'vellum' can technically also refer to parchment, which would be a different ballgame.
I think the main problem with the tracing paper is that it indeed tends to wrinkle and not withstand wet processing very well. I think that's why those Japanese kozo-like papers are so popular in the alt. process corner. Their long fibers give the material the ability to survive the process.

 

[jeffreyg]

I have printed platinum/palladium on cotton vellum and have tried various ways to prevent wrinkles. None have been 100% so I decided that it just adds to the handmade look that each image is a “one of a kind “. I back them with gold leaf or silver leaf. With the right subject it’s a really nice presentation.

 

[nmp]

Has anyone tried printing on vellum? Do wet alt-process solutions work with vellum? The thickest vellum I’ve found is 24 lb (90 gsm) which is likely to wrinkle. I’d like to try orotones with kallitypes.

I suppose all vellum would wrinkle at the end of the process - you will have to press it to straighten it out. Dan Burkholder uses this 24 lb (another larger size is 30 lb) vellum that you can buy on his store recommended for gilded prints. I have seen his prints, gold leafed Pt-Pd and they were gorgeous!

:Niranjan

 

[nmp]

Oh I forgot to add the link:

Darkroom Translucent Vellum, 8.5 x 11 in

Official website for Dan Burkholder. Fine Art Photographer, Digital Pioneer, Artist and Educator

www.danburkholder.com

:Niranjan

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I've printed on Staedler Vellum before. It is 100% cotton. Bought it at Office Max or Staples if you can believe it. They probably don't have it anymore, but you can still probably find it. It has an all blue cover. There is also Clearprint but I haven't tried it. I think I read a while back that they don't make 100% cotton anymore so make sure you check that it is whichever one you buy.

You are right about waviness with vellum. I'll only use it for small prints. If you have a vacuum press then vellum would work well. Very difficult to get the negative to lay flat on it even with a good contact printer with strong springs. Ask me how I know.

Keep in mind too that the thinner the paper is the easier it is to flatten.

Good luck.

 

[Ballinderry-Michael]

What material are you referring to, exactly? I suspect you mean the tracing paper stuff? I think 'vellum' can technically also refer to parchment, which would be a different ballgame.

Sorry to come in late on this with a pedantic "correction". Vellum, as used before books were printed, was calf skin; and parchment was sheepskin. The modern materials are named for their surfaces' resemblance to those.

 

[koraks]

Thanks @Ballinderry-Michael , I stand corrected - and also on the point that we're discussing a paper material here which much more commonly used than I realized!

 

[nmp]

Of course, if the OP wants to do real orotones, glass is the way to go. No wrinkles there. However, it requires a whole different process of using a medium like gelatin to print the image in.

:Niranjan

 

[VinceInMT]

I’m a former draftsman and have a bunch of drafting vellum in rolls leftover. I think it’s 1000H. I’ve tried it for cyanotypes and it works really well, especially if interested in a translucent print. For such a thin paper it handles the wet pretty well although it does wrinkle a bit. I believe it has some kind of coating that allows multiple erasures without lifting the paper fibers and that resists the wet a bit.

 

[jeffreyg]

I have Dan Burkholder’s cd on gilded printing which is very straightforward. As I had mentioned I have done pt/pd prints on vellum. I had bought it from Freestyle and got the gold and silver leaf from LA gold leaf. After printing and gilding I spray both sides with Kamar varnish which I think was suggested on the cd

 

[tnp651]

I had seen an exhibit of some lovely orotones on vellum, thus my question. But as others have pointed out, albumen on glass is historic and much easier. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[KYsailor]

I have been "messing" with Dan Burkholder's vellum and gilding process. I agree it is difficult to flatten after printing and treatment with the varnish and gilding process. I have a home made press that I am able to use about 50-60 lbs of weight. It does help although there are still small wrinkles - I am going to try mounting to foam core using PVA adhesive and putting it in my press to see if that could work.

I was looking at purchasing some clearprint vellum. Some of it is 100% cotton per their website - but still pretty thin ~20 lbs.

I tried to make a cyanotype on the vellum and it kept rolling up, and was difficult to dry - I need to find a way to fasten it down while drying - I was able to flatten it a bit after drying but when I printed it ( I have a print frame that allows a lot of pressure) I have some blurry streaks in it - so I need to find a way to dry it flatter and them try it in my press.

Attached is a gilded inkjet print on vellum ( the inkjet print also had some wrinkling but was fairly easy to flatten), varnished and gilded. I really like it but my application of the sizing to attach the gilding had streaks and they show if you look closely. The second is the same image on vellum as a cyanotype - not terrible but if you look there are blurry areas where the negative was not incontact with the vellum. I will plan to print this again as a cyanotype, taking care to dry it flat ( taping it to a sheet of glass) and seeing if that helps.

If anyone comes up with a good way to do this and maintain the flatness of the processed vellum it would be reat to hear about it.

Dave

 

[nmp]

If anyone comes up with a good way to do this and maintain the flatness of the processed vellum it would be reat to hear about it.

Dave

That looks very nice. Some time ago I was playing around with dry-mounting the vellum on a acrylic sheet or glass first with a low temp reversible adhesive tissue which can be re-heated to remove the print at the end of the process. People used to do this to improve registration in a multi-layer process. Something to try in this instance too.

:Niranjan.

 

[KYsailor]

Thanks Niranjan, I have also read of this technique for multi layer gum prints, however it sounds a bit complicated ( for me) . At some point I may invest in a dry mounting press - that may solve the problem. I don't know how the varnish ( I use krylon clear matte) will react at dry mount temperatures, or if the paper fibers will "relax" and become flat again.

Dave

 

[jeffreyg]

KYsailor
I’m not sure you were referring to my use of varnish but I do not dry mount the prints. If they are to be framed I use corners. The spray is to protect the gold leaf from scratches and I’m not sure why but it some how enhances the appearance of the printed surface sprayed on it as well
I have a dry mounting press but have only used it for silver gelatin prints or flatting prints

 

[nmp]

Thanks Niranjan, I have also read of this technique for multi layer gum prints, however it sounds a bit complicated ( for me) . At some point I may invest in a dry mounting press - that may solve the problem. I don't know how the varnish ( I use krylon clear matte) will react at dry mount temperatures, or if the paper fibers will "relax" and become flat again.

Dave

Yeah, these days those dry mount presses have become real pricey - I bought it many years ago for $50 incl. shipping....the best investment I ever made for alternative processing.

Question, by the way, about the process - do you apply the varnish on the print side, primarily to make it more transparent - right? If so, can one use wax or something like that folks use for in-camera negatives. Presumably it will be better regarding forming wrinkles. Also, I am not sure what the varnish is made of but if it is similar to the one I brush coat on my inkjet canvas based on acrylic latex, it will withstand the dry mount temps fine (I use around 180 F for the Buffermount adhesive film) as long as a good release paper is used.

:Niranjan

 

[KYsailor]

KYsailor
I’m not sure you were referring to my use of varnish but I do not dry mount the prints. If they are to be framed I use corners. The spray is to protect the gold leaf from scratches and I’m not sure why but it some how enhances the appearance of the printed surface sprayed on it as well
I have a dry mounting press but have only used it for silver gelatin prints or flatting prints

Thanks - actually I was referring to the instructions with the Dan Burkholder kit

 

[KYsailor]

Yeah, these days those dry mount presses have become real pricey - I bought it many years ago for $50 incl. shipping....the best investment I ever made for alternative processing.

Question, by the way, about the process - do you apply the varnish on the print side, primarily to make it more transparent - right? If so, can one use wax or something like that folks use for in-camera negatives. Presumably it will be better regarding forming wrinkles. Also, I am not sure what the varnish is made of but if it is similar to the one I brush coat on my inkjet canvas based on acrylic latex, it will withstand the dry mount temps fine (I use around 180 F for the Buffermount adhesive film) as long as a good release paper is used.

:Niranjan

Yes I apply the varnish to both sides, and it make the vellum quite translucent, such that when the gilding is applied to the back side it really shows though in the highlights. This was part of the gilding kit instructions. I like the wax idea as well.

The varnish actually creates much less wrinkling than the "sizing" used to adhere the gilding, which appears to be PVA adhesive and is water based. I think I will try a spray adhesive (3M mounting adhesive) which is solvent based - that may create less wrinkling. It seems that any water based surface treatment causes problems. - I will try a couple of different approaches to this to see what works best - again thanks for everyone's comments. I am off trolling e-bay for a reasonable dry mounting press - I think it will be very useful for my other alt photo works.

Dave