Finally, I have arrived at the finished print I had envisioned; for the most part. Every print teaches me something, with better insight to the color pallet and how I can use it. Being mostly color blind to red/green, that makes a difference. That leaves me to printing by utilizing subtractive color theory; watercolor principles. A gum print is technically a photographic watercolor.
For now, I'm staying with Revere Platinum paper, now, pre-shrunk twice, before making the palladium print, over which the gum is lain. As I noted in an earlier post on making this print, the decisions made on the printing procedures had to do with the balance between the dramatic effect of deep shadows, and, how much the viewer is able to see, in those shadows. The choice between zone 2 and zone 3. Although the first run of this print was with much deeper shadows, leaving all the object nearly obscure, in the darkness. As can be seen, I opted to open up the shadows, and use color to set the objects aside from the otherwise dark background.
The outcome of those decisions will be judged by the viewer. I arrived at the spot I had planned, so I any credits or criticisms for my efforts. A secondary decision to be made was how obvious the lighting, which is the other side of shadow and darkness. To capture the appearance of light is to hold the tonal range for light, which is between zone 6 and zone 7, then use a color that when printed to that tonality, represents the appearance of light. For me, that light color comes down to Yellow Ochre and Quinacridone Gold, mostly depending on whether said light is reflected off objects or seen directly, like through a window. From that, then, is how much color to use, so as not to make the whole affair fake, artificial.
Those cumulative decisions sum to the posted print; liked or disliked.
Gum over Palladium Print
"Grandpa's Cabin" ~ 11x14 Unique
Willamette's Douglas Forest, Oregon
