Salted Paper Printing – A Beginner’s Notes
Terri St.Arnauld
July 5, 2003
 

Notes: For this session, the gelatine and salt coating was mixed and applied on July 4th; the sensitizing and printing was done on July 5th. Two pieces each of four types of paper were used. One piece of each type was coated with gelatine, citric acid and salt; the other piece was only coated with salt. I found that gelatine was essential in obtaining even hopeful results, except, maybe, on Buxton paper.

Gelatine Coating: By chance, I found a coating that seems to work.

14 oz Distilled Water
16g Citric Acid
8g Kosher Salt
1/4 oz (1 pkg) Knox Gelatine

Mix the water with the salt and citric acid in a non-reactive container. Place container in larger pot containing water on stove. Heat, double boiler style, on very low heat to about 105-115 F (somewhat warm to forearm). When salt and citric acid are dissolved, add gelatine and stir until dissolved. Turn off heat.

If dipping or floating, put in container you will use to apply coating.

Add gelatine mixture and stir well to combine.

Sensitizer: All papers were sensitized with a formula mixed by Ed Buffaloe.

Paper: I tested four papers and list them in order of preference.

Rieves BFK – Even without the gelatine, this gave the best results, however, a great deal of your negative’s contrast is lost if you don’t use gelatine.

Buxton – With gelatine, it gives a rich reddish-brown; without gelatine, it gives a nice soft brown, but lacks contrast in the middle tones. Maybe a toner would enhance this.

Fabriano Artistico – Without gelatine, it fogged before it was even dry; with gelatine, it seems to give a milk chocolate brown, but my print was underexposed.

Arches Aquarelle - #^&@^%$*#&*$%^(^#@)+!!!
 

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