3 Color Gum:Starting Out?

[Edward Rhys]

Hi!

If this post is in the wrong area or anything to that effect, I humbly apologize! I am new to this site, and joined specifically to ask this question: After Recently reading an article about Keith Taylor's 3 color gum process, and seeing the beautiful prints he has created, I want a piece of that action!

*Question officially starts here*
What materials can you gurus out there reccomend I get my hands on to get started in educating myself in this process? I understand the basic concept, but only at its most fundamental level. There does not seem to be a whole lot out there to get started with, so perhaps someone who has been through all this already could give me some tips?

[sdivot]

The best thing to do (in my opinion) is get Christina Anderson's book Alternative Processes Condensed. It is very heavy on the gum process. I learned the technique using her book. I understand she is writing a new book dedicated entirely to the gum process.
You can see some of my gum work on my website.
Good luck,
Steve
www.scdowellphoto.com

[Keith Taylor]

What materials can you gurus out there reccomend I get my hands on to get started in educating myself in this process? I understand the basic concept, but only at its most fundamental level. There does not seem to be a whole lot out there to get started with, so perhaps someone who has been through all this already could give me some tips?

Hi Edward,

I would agree with Steve, Chris Anderson's books are good. I read virtually everything I could find on gum printing when I started (Chris's books hadn't been written then) and ended up disregarding most of it. It's important to find your own workflow and not assume that because someone is working in a particular way that that is the only way forward.

Even though I now use profiles and colour management, that wasn't always the way. I printed in gum for many years successfully without a profile. As a commercial printer that part of it helps me enormously, but isn't necessary.

The beauty of gum printing is that it can be as realistic or as free-form as you want it to be. My prints are fairly photorealistic so I only use 3 or 4 pigments but I'm sure Chris, Katherine Thayer and others use many more.

Good luck.

Keith.