ABSTRACT
226 Gum printing is also known as gum bichromate and gum dichromate. One person cannot take all the credit for this process, but it seems to have begun when Mongo Ponton discovered the light sensitivity of dichromates in 1838. The gum process did not gain popularity for another 40 years. In 1898, the directions for multiple-exposure gum printing were first published by Hubl in Vienna. Thereafter, the single gum print was often referred to as the French method, and the multiple exposure gum as the Vienna method. Gum printing is closely related to traditional non-photographic printmaking techniques.
This process can be very complicated to perfect and Enfield’s chapter will help guide you along. A print can look perfect and be ruined by the last layer and the artist must start again. The color combinations with gum printing are endless. You have the choice to use one negative, or a positive and negative combination, or many different negatives. Gum printing is permanent, contains no silver, and can be combined with many other processes, including being fired in a kiln on ceramic pieces. Since it uses no metal salts, gum bichromate printing is one of the least expensive of any of the alternative processes.
This chapter covers the materials needed, how to mix the colors and other chemistry and different techniques to see which one suits your style best.
