Salted Paper Printing: A Step-by-Step Manual Highlighting Contemporary Artists

320 Pages·2017·140.71 MB·English

by  Christina Z. Anderson

SALTED PAPER PRINTING
Salted Paper Printing: A Step-by-Step Manual Highlighting Contemporary Artists is a book about the first
photography-on-paper process from the dawn of photography’s history. In Salted Paper Printing this 19th
century process is updated with 21st century digital negative methods. With a few inexpensive ingredients
such as ordinary table salt and silver nitrate, evocative hand-coated prints can be created from a camera
as simple as a smartphone.
Salted Paper Printing is divided into two parts, richly illustrated with close to 400 photographs. Part One is
a complete how-to on the salted paper process from simple to complex, with an extensive troubleshooting
guide illustrated with 70 photographic examples. Part One includes creative ideas to push the boundaries
of the salted paper print, such as handcoloring and printing salt in combination with gum bichromate.
Part Two is devoted to contemporary salted paper artists who share their methods and secrets to creating
their beautiful salted paper prints.
Topics that the book covers are:
• A succinct bulleted timeline of key events in salted paper’s history
• How to organize the salted paper “dimroom”
• What the best chemistry supplies, equipment, and papers to use are
• A step-by-step digital negative method
• How to practice photogenic drawing, William Henry Fox Talbot’s original salted paper process
• Simple and advanced methods of salted paper printing
• How to salt, salt-size, and sensitize paper with traditional and animal-friendly methods
• Using the sun or an ultraviolet light source to best expose your image
• Step-by-step processing directions
• Toning the salted paper print with gold, platinum, and other metals
• Troubleshooting salted paper, including lots of photographs of common issues
• Printing gum over salted paper to add gloss, tone, or full color to the salt print
• Handcoloring salted paper, printing cyanotype and salt together, and other creative suggestions
• Finishing, framing, and storing salt prints with examples of varnish, mat and frame choices
• Contemporary artists’ advice, techniques, and works in 2-, 4-, or 6-page spreads
Salted Paper Printing provides much for the beginning salt enthusiast as well as for the advanced
practitioner. Backed with thorough research from 180 books, journals, and magazine articles from 1839 to
the present day, there is enough information to provide inspiration and proof of salted paper’s original—
and continuing—place in historic and contemporary photography.
Christina Z. Anderson’s work has shown nationally and internationally in 100+ shows and 40+ publications. She is author
of The Experimental Photography Workbook, Gum Printing and Other Amazing Contact Printing Processes, Gum Printing: A
Step-by-Step Manual Highlighting Artists and Their Creative Practice, and co-author with Samuel Wang, S. Carl King, and
Zhong Jianming of Handcrafted: The Art and Practice of the Handmade Print (Chinese). Anderson is Associate Professor
of Photography at Montana State University, Bozeman. To see her work, visit christinaZanderson.com.
Contemporary Practices in Alternative Process Photography Series
Series Editor: Christina Z. Anderson
The Contemporary Practices in Alternative Process Photography series focuses the lens on
a variety of alternative, historical processes from the medium’s 180-year history. Each book
outlines a step-by-step approach to a particular medium, and features contemporary artists
who use that particular process regularly in their practice. The richly illustrated books in
this series serve as guidebooks for those new to alternative processes, refresher courses for
professionals already familiar with each medium, and a source of inspiration for all. Salted
Paper Printing is the first in the series, an appropriate beginning because salted paper was
shared with the world the very month of photography’s birth—January 1839.
SALTED PAPER PRINTING
A Step-by-Step Manual
Highlighting Contemporary Artists
CHRISTINA Z. ANDERSON
from the Contemporary Practices
in Alternative Process Photography Series
NEW YORK AND LONDON
First published 2018
by Routledge
711 Th ird Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2018 Taylor & Francis
Th e right of Christina Z. Anderson to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by her in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by
any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Anderson, Christina Z., author.
Title: Salted paper printing : a step-by-step manual highlighting contemporary artists / Christina Z.
Anderson.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifi ers: LCCN 2017027521| ISBN 9781138280212 (hardback) | ISBN 9781138280229 (pbk.) | ISBN
9781315272344 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: Photography--Printing processes. | Photography--Printing papers. | Photography,
Artistic.
Classifi cation: LCC TR330 .A555 2018 | DDC 771--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017027521
ISBN: 978-1-138-28021-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-28022-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-27234-4 (ebk)
Publisher’s Note:
Th is book has been prepared from camera-ready copy provided by the author.
Also by Christina Z. Anderson:
Th e Experimental Photography Workbook (2012)
Gum Printing and Other Amazing Contact Printing Processes (2013)
Handcrafted: Th e Art and Practice of the Handmade Print (2014, 2015)
1st edition Chinese only, 2nd with an English insert, co-authors Jianming, King, Wang
Gum Printing: A Step-by-Step Manual Highlighting Artists and Th eir Creative Practice (2017)
Exercise caution in the handling of all photographic chemicals. Use of any such chemicals constitutes some risk, and some
are poisonous. The publisher and author accept no responsibility for injury or loss arising from the procedures or materials
described in this book whether used properly or improperly. The workplace should be well ventilated. Chemicals should
be mixed only in the manner described. Avoid contact between the chemicals and eyes, skin, clothing, and furniture. Do
not eat or drink while using chemicals. Keep them away from pets and children. Wear protective eye wear and gloves
if necessary. In short, be mindful of all safety procedures for yourself and others.
Dedicated to
Marek Matusz,
fellow traveler
on this shared
salted paper journey
Figure P.1. Madonna of the Window, gold-toned salted paper print with spray paint and acrylic wash,
24˝ x 32˝ © Daniel W. Coburn 2016
Table of Contents
Preface xi Chapter 5
Introduction to Salted Paper 1 Creating Your First Salted Paper Print 51
Chapter 1 Supplies 52
A Brief History of Salted Paper 5 Processing solutions 52
Silver nitrate solution 52
PART ONE
1% gold chloride solution 52
Salted PaPer SteP-by-SteP 19 Paper salting solution 52
Chapter 2 5% salted water wash 52
Setting Up the Salted Paper Dimroom 21 Gold sodium carbonate toner 52
Alkaline fixer 53
“Simple salt” chemistry 22
Hypoclear 53
Chemistry for the salt enthusiast 22
Salting the paper 53
Salting/sizing chemistry 22
Sensitizing the paper* 53
Sensitizer chemistry 22
Exposing, processing, and toning 54
Processing chemistry 23
Chapter 6
Toning chemistry 23
Salting and Sensitizing the Paper 57
Gum chemistry 23
Handcoloring supplies 23 Supplies for salting and sensitizing 58
Varnishing supplies, if desired 23 About salts 58
Safety first! 23 About sizes 59
Essential big(ger) equipment 23 About water 59
Nonessential bigger equipment 24 About brushes 60
Essential smaller equipment and supplies 24 Salting and salt-size formulas 61
Essential consumables 25 Sodium chloride salting solution 61
Paper 27 Sodium chloride/citric acid/Rochelle salts 61
Chapter 3 Ammonium chloride/sodium citrate 61
Digital Negatives for Salted Paper 29 Ammonium chloride/sodium citrate/gelatin 62
Clark’s arrowroot salt size I 62
Curve preparation 30
Clark’s arrowroot salt size II 63
Curves step by step 31
Casein salt size 63
Image preparation for all negatives 33
Carrageenan salt size 63
Monochrome salted paper negative 34
Silver nitrate sensitizer 64
Printer settings 34
15% silver nitrate 64
Understanding curves 35
Silver nitrate/citric acid 65
Pizza wheels 35
Sensitizing the paper 66
Concluding remarks 36
Chapter 7
Chapter 4
Exposing and Processing Salted Paper 69
Talbot’s Photogenic Drawing Process 39
Determining exposure with an ohp strip 70
Supplies 40
Determining exposure by inspection 70
Unsalted paper/hot water fix 41
Exposure tips 72
Unsalted paper/salted water fix 42
Processing solutions 72
Unsalted paper/ammonia fix 44
5% salted water wash 72
Salted paper/salted water fix 46
5% salted water wash formula 72
Salted paper/potassium iodide fix 47
Alkaline fixer 73
Salted paper/potassium bromide fix 48
Ammonium thiosulfate rapid fix 73
Hypoclear 73 The print has yellowed in the highlights 119
Processing the exposed paper 73 The print is fogged 120
Processing steps 74 The print is blotchy and mottled 122
Chapter 8 The print looks like it has the measles 123
Toning Salted Paper 77 The print has toning issues 126
The print is too low contrast and dull 128
Gold toning 78
The print is high contrast and harsh 129
Amount of gold in the formula 79
The print is too light 130
Alkalinity of the formula 79
The print is too dark 132
1% gold chloride solution 79
The print has bronzed (too much) 134
Gold sodium bicarbonate toner 80
The color is inconsistent 135
Gold sodium carbonate toner 80
The silver nitrate solution is brown 136
Gold borax toner 81
There are silver stains on clothes, etc. 136
Gold sodium acetate toner 82
Chapter 11
Gold ammonium benzoate toner 82
Printing Gum Over Salted Paper 141
Gold sodium phosphate toner 83
Gold aluminum toner 83 Essential supplies 141
Gold sodium tungstate toner 83 Duotone (warm/cool) negatives 142
Gold thiocyanate toner 83 Tricolor (rgb) negatives 142
Gold iodide-thiocyanate toner 84 Quadcolor (cmyk) negatives 144
Gold iodide-thiocyanate toner II 84 Sizing 144
Gold thiourea toner 85 Dichromate preparation 145
Gold thiourea toner II 85 Pigment choice, in a nutshell 145
Sel d’or toner 86 Preparing stock solutions 146
Platinum and palladium toning 86 Preparing working strength solutions 146
Platinum or palladium toner 87 Registering gum 146
Selenium toning 88 Coating gum 147
Selenium toner 88 Exposing gum 148
Copper toning 89 Developing gum 148
Ferguson’s copper toner 89 Using the salt negative for gum 149
Cassell’s copper toner 90 Using duotone negatives 149
Photo Miniature copper toner 91 Using tricolor (rgb) negatives 150
Iron blue toning 92 Using cmyk negatives 150
Iron blue toner 92 Troubleshooting gum 150
Toning tips 94 Chapter 12
Chapter 9 Handcoloring and Other Creative Ideas 153
Advanced Techniques for Salted Paper 97
Watercolor pencils 153
Taming an unsuitable paper 98 Supplies 153
Universal salting recipe 98 Photo oils 154
Casein salt size I 99 Supplies 154
Casein salt size II 100 Printing salt over cyanotype 156
Agar agar salt sizing 100 Cyanotype formula 156
Cupric chloride as a contrast agent 101 Printing salted paper on fabric 158
Silver nitrate/citric acid 103 Printing salted paper on wood 158
Ammonium sulfate 105 Creative bleaching 159
Ammonium sulfate salting 105 Printing on colored salted paper 160
Chapter 10 The watercolor sandwich 160
Troubleshooting Salted Paper 107 Salted paper “orotone” 160
Other creative ideas 160
Problems addressed, in this order 108
Chapter 13
Occurrence of problems, in this order 108
Finishing, Framing, and Storing Salted Paper 163
The print has faded and/or yellowed 109
The print has stains, splotches, spots 112 Preserving a digital copy 163
The print has dark streaks in it 116 To varnish, or not to varnish 164
The print has white streaks in it 118 How to best store the print 165
Matting and framing 165
Figure P.2. Street Art, London, salted paper print © Fiona Chong 2016
PART TWO
Carol Panaro-Smith and James Hajicek 255
ContemPorary Salted PaPer artiStS 171 Ron Reeder 259
Chapter 14 Dianna Rust 263
Contemporary Salted Paper Artists 173 Karel Van Gerven 267
Alan Vlach 271
Kimberly Anderson 175
Sam Wang 275
Darryl Baird 181
Wynn White 279
Matthew Brandt 185
DM Witman 283
Daniel W. Coburn 191
Ellie Young 287
Megan Crawford 195
APPENDIX
Dan Estabrook 199
Adam Finkelston 203 inCluding HiStoriCal Salting FormulaS 291
Brittonie Fletcher 207 Historical salting formula charts 292
Luther D. Gerlach 209 The guerrilla fix 294
Keith Gerling 215 Determining exposure with a step wedge 295
Brenton Hamilton 219 Weights and measures 296
Suzanne Izzo 223 Sources for supplies 297
Ken Keen 227 Bibliography 299
Rebecca Sexton Larson 229 Index 303
Marek Matusz 233
Leanne McPhee 239
Dave Molnar 243
France Scully Osterman 247
Mark Osterman 249
Jessica Christine Owen 251