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