23 June 2009
vesuvian fire
Monday was a ridiculously good day. At ten I explained and demo’d the basics of Gum Bichromate, warning them well that the apparent simplicity of the process hid a thousand trap-like variables, but that we’d work up from an imperfect one-pass gum to more complex multi-layered prints. Mostly I told them to relax, be nice to each other, and trust that this class will make them into patient people whether they liked it or not…
Unfortunately, my demo print came out perfect. A thick orange gum print, on unsized paper even. Instead of my old faithful brush I used one of the many foam brushes Scott had ordered for the class, and the coating was almost too smooth – I had to wreck it a bit just so the students could have a little idea of how to troubleshoot when things went wrong (and they always go wrong.) See, it’s actually much better when the demo is a disaster, particularly with a process that invites disaster so much. But despite worrying about being rusty with my old favorite technique, all went well. By lunchtime, just two hours after we started, everyone had a great print. Everyone. That just never happens.
What’s more, I liked the questions they were asking, the way they were thinking about the final piece and the fact that they seemed to get along very easily. One student in particular has a lot of experience with all sorts of historical and alternative techniques, and since much of the class is younger and not as experienced as he, I am concerned that he not feel bored or disconnected from the group. But he was right there laughing with us (and at us) all day, while tossing in great tidbits of knowledge (like how simply to reduce the Chromium-6 dichromates to safer Chromium-3…!) As long as I can keep them busy and happy and considerate of each other, all will be well.
Clearly they can handle more, so after lunch I took them through all the steps towards a full-toned multi-pass gum print. I gave them an alternate formula for thinner emulsions to use for highlight detail. I got them thinking about the physical surface of the emulsion, hardened by light as it is from the top down. I had them factor in pre-shrinking the paper, and sizing with gelatin, ossein or gesso. I got them to understand how truly versatile – and truly crazy – this process can be. Cut, soak, dry, size, dry, mark, coat, dry, expose, soak, dry… and repeat. They seem up to it, at least for now.
Without a doubt, there were small moments where I could see in their eyes that the Internal Info-Meter was about to register Full. I repeated the basics, explained a couple of things one more time, and set them printing again while the sun held out for us. I love the fact that I’m learning things too, by having to rely on the way the class was described and supplied before I was part of it. After the way today went, we’re going to stick with the Deionized Ossein that was ordered, coating between gum layers instead of using gelatin and a hardening bath of formalin, glutaraldehyde or glyoxal, and avoiding at least one poisonous carcinogen…
I finally left the studio at 10:30pm, and several students were still working. I may insist that they take the day off on Thursday or Friday to play, if only so they don’t burn out too fast. But until them, I’m gonna run ‘em into the ground!
