Peter Liepke Step by Step Gum Bichromate Printing Those of you who have talked to me over the last few months know that I'm quite excited to be presenting the photography of Peter Liepke. We will be debuting this work with his first solo show “Cities and Dreams” on Thursday April 16 at Gallery 270 in Westwood from 7 PM to 9 PM. Peter is an expert in two late 19th century printing methods; platinum/palladium and gum bichromate. They are both very involved and quirky methods that require the mastery of a highly skilled artisan. Though I knew the textbook definition of a gum bichromate print, I never realized how the process worked. Peter was kind enough to spend an entire afternoon teaching and demonstrating this painstaking procedure. I thought since I did not fully understand the practice, that we would document some of the steps involved and show you how it is done with step by step photographs. I also thought it would be perfect prelude to his upcoming show to attempt to show just how much work goes into a gum print. Realize now that the pictures show just one layer of emulsion being completed. For most of Peter's work he is laying down four or five layers of emulsion! And we are leaving out many small time consuming preparations that Peter made to simplify the demo prior to our arrival. Enjoy the step by step photos and feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the gum bichromate process and Peter's work. By all means do not miss the opportunity to meet this 21st Century “old world craftsman” who also makes his own frames from scratch.   

 

8.5x11 waxed paper negative from 35mm original/Andy Warhol by Thomas Gramegna. The original 35mm negative is scanned first, dust &scratches cleaned up on the computer, then output to the inkjet printer. The negative is then waxed with paraffin, sanded and smoothed by human fingertips.  

  Positioning the negative and contrast guide on glass and light box. 

 

 Positioning and contrast guide up close.  

  Peter marks the waxed negative area on the Fabiano watercolor paper with pencil. 

 

 The first paper negative came out too contrasty this shows both negatives.  

 The emulsion making area and materials.  

  

 Watercolor pigments, gum Arabic, potassium dichromate (the powder can easily destroy a home) and patience are what goes into making the gum bichromate emulsion.  

 The gum bichromate emulsion ingredients again with the tools used to measure the precise amounts needed.   

 Peter begins the precise emulsion making.   

 Black watercolor pigment being precisely weighed.  

 Adding some additional pigment to glass beaker being weighed.  

 Watercolor pigment now the correct amount.  

 3 grams it is!     

 Gum Arabic is next.  

 A syringe is used to add the necessary gum Arabic to the watercolor pigment.  

 Adding the gum Arabic to the glass beaker containing the watercolor pigment.  

 The powerful potassium dichromate is the key photographic component.  

 Handle with care!  Purchasing this agent subjects you to additional scrutiny”!    

 The emulsion has been brushed on with both horizontal and vertical directions to make sure all areas are evenly covered.  

 Peter checking for the evenness of the first emulsion layer.  

 Placing the coverglass tightly over the waxed negative and emulsified Fabiano watercolor paper (made the same way for 400 years)   

 

Clamps make sure that waxed paper negative is making complete and tight contact with the emulsified paper.  

 Placing the print components under Peter’s homemade UV developing light.     

 Setting the timer for proper UV development times. 

 

 Peter puts the emulsified paper through the first wash bath.  

 First washing bath 10‐15 minutes.  

 It looks good for a first try!  

 The first time I saw been made a gum print. Thanks Peter, this is exciting and painstaking, too.    

 The second water bath for another 10‐15 minutes.  

 The third and final wash bath.  

 Andy Warhol and Peter Liepke, perfect together!  

 Drying the print with Peter’s high tech drying fan.  

 The first of at least four emulsion layers looks good/elapsed  me for first emulsion layer around 3 ½ hours.