Description
Chrysotype
A Contemporary Guide to Photographic Printing in Gold
By Leanne McPhee
Copyright Year 2021
ISBN 9781138345003
Published October 28, 2020 by Focal Press
214 Pages 176 Color & 11 B/W Illustrations
Chrysotype is about photographic printing in gold on paper. This 19th century printing process, modified for contemporary use, provides artists with an affordable way to produce permanent prints in gold. By using film or digital negatives, striking hand-coated prints can be created in monochromatic hues ranging from pink, violet, magenta and purple, to green, blue, grey and black.
Chrysotype offers a how-to guide for intermediate practitioners with illustrated examples and simple explanations for each stage of the chrysotype process. The book is divided into three sections: history; preparation and how-to; and the work of contemporary artists using chrysotype.
This book includes:
A concise account of the invention and modification of the chrysotype process, including early discoveries about gold and colour and the significance of moisture for printing in gold
How to set up your workspace for printing, including useful equipment and materials
Advice on safe chemical practice
A step-by-step guide to creating suitable digital and film negatives
Guidance on paper selection and how to successfully coat paper
An overview guide to creating a chrysotype print
Step-by step directions for creating the chrysotype solutions
An explanation of mixing ratios and solution volumes that control contrast
An illustrated explanation of the effect of humidity on colour, including split tone colours and ways to control humidity
Step-by-step directions on post-exposure hydration to lengthen tonal range and lower contrast
Step-by-step tray processing directions
Advanced techniques such as handling translucent papers, additional chrysotype formulas and procedures, and alternative developing agents that support longer development, colour formation and remedy problems that affect image quality
Troubleshooting chrysotype printing, including advice and photographic examples
Illustrated profiles of contemporary artists making chrysotype prints, including their methods and tips
Chrysotype serves to inform, encourage and challenge a new generation of alternate process practitioners and a growing chrysotype community, from the newly curious to the experienced professional.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction to chrysotype
PART ONE: HISTORY
Chapter 1, Early experiments with gold and the chrysotype invented and reinvented
The ‘Ingenious and Lively’ Elizabeth Fulhame
Herschel and iron-based printing in gold
Experiments with Gold and Iron
Herschel’s chrysotype process
Herschel’s chrysotype prints
Nanoparticle gold and colour
New Chrysotype
PART TWO: PREPARATION AND GUIDE TO CHRYSOTYPE
Chapter 2, Preparing for printing
Safety first
Chemical safe handling, storage and disposal
Work spaces and lighting
General consumables
General equipment and materials
Equipment and materials for making negatives
Analogue film
Digital negatives
Equipment and materials for coating paper
Optional items for coating paper
Equipment and materials for controlling humidity (pre and post exposure)
Equipment and materials for exposing the print
Making a basic contact printing frame
Equipment and materials to process and dry prints
Optional items for processing and drying prints
Equipment to make and store the chemistry for Version ‘S’
Additional items for Versions ‘M’ and ‘P’
Chemicals
Chemicals for Version ‘S’
Coating
Humidity control
Processing
Useful measurement conversions
Weight
Liquids
Chapter 3, Preparing the negative
Film negatives
Film development
Creating a large format film negative with PMK developer
Working formula
PMK Development Process
Chemicals
Using a transmission step wedge
Masking the negative
Digital negatives
Creating a basic digital negative
Chapter 4, Paper choice
Paper Types
Surface finish
HOT/HP
NOT or CP
Rough
Size and weight
Paper additives
Impact of paper additives on chrysotype
Sizing – application and type
Internal (‘engine’, ‘body’ or beater) sizing
Surface (‘Tub’, ‘External’) sizing
Impact of sizing on chrysotype colour
Papers for chrysotype
Paper handling and storage
Paper treatment
Decalcifying paper
Procedure for removing calcium chloride
Sulphamic acid decalcification process
Surface-sizing paper with hardened gelatin
Gelatin hardening process
[INSERT xx.2 HERE]
Chapter 5, Overview of the chrysotype process
Overview of the steps to create a chrysotype print
A quick guide to getting the common chrysotype colours
“I want a pink image.”
“I want a split tone image.”
“I want a blue image.”
Chapter 6, Making and mixing the sensitiser.
Version ‘S’ – sodium method
Chemicals, equipment and materials
Preparing stock solutions for Version ‘S’ sensitiser
A. Ligand solution (1.4 molar)
B. Gold solution (0.35 molar) – Option 1 Sodium Tetrachloroaurate
B. Gold solution (0.35 molar) – Option 2 Hydrogen Tetrachloroaurate
C. Iron solution (1.4 molar)
Tween® 20
Version ‘S’ mixing and contrast controls
Contrast control and volume ratios
Working out the volume of solution
Advanced section
New Chrysotype Version ‘M’
Chemicals, equipment and materials
Preparing stock solutions for Version ‘M’ sensitiser
A. Ligand solution (1.4 molar)
Differences in use between Versions ‘M’ and ’S’
New Chryostype Version ’P’
Chemicals, equipment and materials
Preparing stock solutions for Version ‘P’ sensitiser
A. Ligand solution (1.4 molar)
B. Gold solution (0.35 molar) Hydrogen Tetrachloroaurate
C. Iron solution (1.4 molar)
D Sodium hydroxide solution (14 molar)
Version ‘P’ mixing and contrast controls
Contrast control and volume ratios
Working out the volume of solution
Chapter 7, Coating Paper
Chemicals, equipment and materials for coating paper
Glass coating rod
Items for making a glass coating rod
Making a glass coating rod
Brush coating
Coating the paper
Which side of the paper to coat?
Helpful coating tips
Rod coating method
Brush coating method
Coating translucent ‘vellum’ paper
Chapter 8, Regulating Paper Humidity
What is relative humidity?
The effect of humidity on chrysotype colour
Low humidity 9–35 %
Intermediate humidity 36–65%
High humidity 66–100%
How to regulate humidity
Timed Air Drying
Extended Heat Drying
Regulated humidity chamber
How to construct a humidity chamber
Salt humidity chamber
Silica bead humidity chamber
Water hydration chamber
How to use a humidity chamber
Chapter 9, Exposing and Processing the Print
Exposing the print
Exposure time and print-out
Exposure time and ligand to gold ratio
Humidity and extent of print-out
Hydration after exposure
Steaming and print-out
Steaming procedure
Localised breathing
Processing the exposed print
Standard developing agents and colour
Development characteristics, time and temperature
Clearing baths
Chemicals, equipment and materials for processing prints
Processing procedure
Advanced section
Testing potential developing agents
Colour intensification
The salts of the standard developing agents
Chapter 10, Troubleshooting chrysotype
I can’t get ‘that’ colour again
The print looks ‘grainy’
The image highlights are stained red/purple
The print has ‘speckles’ in the shadow areas
The print has dark ‘measles’ marks
The print has white splotches
I can’t get an even coating
Brush coating
Rod coating
The sensitiser disappears after one or two coating passes
The paper turns yellow or orange after coating
My print is too dark
The negative looks ‘thin’
Paper
Post hydration
Developing agent used
My print has too much contrast
A higher ligand ratio
The negative is too dense
Choice of developer
The image is faint or lacks contrast
Parts of the image look ‘blurred’
PART THREE: CONTEMPORARY CHYRSOTYPE ARTISTS
Chapter 11, Contemporary chrysotype artists
Giorgio Bordin
Bianca Conwell
Wendy Currie
Miguel Duarte
Danielle Edwards
Mark L Eshbaugh
Esme Ann Everingham
Aileen Hubbard
Tony McLean
Pradip Malde
Marek Matusz
Mike Ware
Bibliography
Appendices
Suppliers
Chemical Information
Author
Leanne McPhee is an award winning Australian fine art photographer and researcher with works held in public and private collections in Australia, China, Italy and the United States. She has demonstrated expertise in a variety of alternative photographic processes, particularly chrysotype and salted paper printing. McPhee is a regular contributor to national and international symposia, delivering hands on workshops and has published both technical and creative works. To see her work, visit leannemcphee.com.
Reviews
‘Chrysotype is a complex process with many variables yielding different results. This book corrals those variables into a clear path to a certain result’
-Jim Patterson
‘Leanne McPhee has written an outstanding volume on the chrysotype process for photographic printing in pure gold, which can produce beautiful prints in colors ranging from pink to purple to brown, black, or blue. The book covers the history of the process along with very detailed and thorough practical instructions, and includes contributions from contemporary chrysotype artists to show the wide variety of excellent work that can be produced.’
-Mark Severson, Chemistry Professor and Alternative Photographic Process Artist
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