Gast
Hello,
I’d like to perform the coating of various ‘artist’s papers’ and also ‘fabrics and textiles’ myself with a black and white emulsion and perform exposure under the enlarger. Does anyone have any experience to share? Which emulsion would you recommend? Are there any tips for applying the emulsion? What kind of darkroom lighting do I need when performing the coating? Unfortunately, the information provided by manufacturers online is rather limited.
Greetings from the Rhineland
Uwe
cfb_de
Hi Uwe,
Tip: Give Mirko a call. He knows his stuff and gives really honest advice. So far, I’ve only come across three camera retailers who give such honest advice: Mirko, L***r and V**k from the Netherlands. (I’ve used asterisks because I don’t want to promote other companies on competitors’ forums.) On the other hand, I’ve unfortunately come across a few ‘manufacturers’ who don’t offer advice, but rather adopt an insurance/magazine door-to-door sales mentality. One particular – censored – company from the immediate vicinity of Ha****g deserves a special mention here.
It’s highly likely that any liquid emulsion will meet your requirements. Ask Mirko. Or ask in the parallel forum as well. There are some who only post on one forum but buy from both, and can therefore compare products.
I don’t need this sort of stuff and so can’t evaluate the various products.
Best regards,
Franz
MirkoBoeddecker
Uwe,
There isn’t much information out there – you’re right about that.
The reason is obvious: the sheer number of different ways it can be used means there are even more different sets of instructions. Or to put it another way: this topic could fill an entire book.
And that is precisely why we sell one. Sarah and Martin have written such a lovely book (available in our catalogue or via Amazon.uk: Silver Gelatine by Sarah Reed and Martin Jones) where everything is explained so brilliantly that any ‘instruction manual’ pales in comparison.
That is why I have limited myself to the essentials.
There are mainly three things you need to bear in mind:
1) That the emulsion is applied in such a way that it subsequently shows ‘your’ or ‘no’ texture (brushstrokes, drips, etc.)
2) That the substrate adheres well enough and the coated product is protected sufficiently so that the emulsion does not wash away from the support in the developer or during rinsing
3) That the substrate is chemically inert, or that you apply a barrier coat; for highly absorbent substrates, a pre-coating with photographic gelatin is recommended so that you do not use up so much emulsion.
We also stock this gelatin – but it is not yet listed in the catalogue. Haven’t had time yet.
Best regards,
Mirko
Gast
Hello Mirko and Franz,
Thank you for your comments. I’ll get hold of the book first and see how things go from there. That said, I’m still interested in hearing reports and experiences from other users on this forum.
Best regards from the Rhineland
Uwe
WillieJan
I’m going to start by trying to apply a coating to some watercolour paper and then move on to other things.
You often need to pre-treat the surface to prevent the emulsion from being absorbed into it.
It works very well with (300 gsm) watercolour paper.
uworischki
The latest issue of "black and white" features an article on DIY coating; it’s very informative and includes a few tips.
