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?

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

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.