Al De Vito’s Print Process Definitions

Silver Prints Thumbnails
Silver prints, usually referred to as "black and white prints", are coated with a halogen compound such as bromide, iodine and silver that provide the light sensitive material necessary to create an image - thus the term SILVER PRINTS. This coating, which is referred to as the emulsion, is applied to two different mediums: fiber-based paper and resin coated (RC) paper. The exposed sheet of paper is developed - converting the negative image from film into a positive image on the paper. It is then fixed in a fixing bath, wasted and then dried.

I use a double weight fiber-base paper for all my silver prints because it produces a better-looking image and is more archival.

Nonsilver Prints Thumbnails
During the 1840s, a great number of photographic printing processes were developed which were based on the light sensitivity of metals other than silver. The non-silver processes that I use for my images can be divided into two groups: the ferric (iron) processes, which are cyanotype, platinum and palladium, and the kallitype (van dyke) brown printing; and the second group, dichromate (or bichromate) processes, which includes the gum printing process.

Colored Prints Thumbnails
My work in color/colored images is very limited and rather new to me. I've just started doing color images in the last four or five years. The images are either "C" prints made from color negatives, "R" prints made from color slides or hand colored black and white prints.

Cyanotype Print
In the cyanotype process, paper is sensitized with ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. Exposure to light reduces a portion of the ferric salt to the ferrous state resulting in the formation of a pale, blue-white image consisting of ferrocyanide. After exposure, the cyanotype is washed in water to remove the soluble, unreduced salts. While drying, the ferrous ferroncyanide slowly oxidizes to a deep blue tone.
Except for a tendency toward slight fading and a vulnerability to alkalinity, cyanotype images are permanent.

Platium & Palladium Print
In platinum printing, paper is sensitized with light-sensitive ferric oxalate and potassium chloroplatinite or platinum chloride. After the sensitized solution is brushed on and has dried, a negative is placed in contact with the paper and exposure is made with sunlight, black light, quartz lamp or a similar light source. The sanitizing solution contains ferric oxalate, oxalic acid, potassium chlorate and potassium chloroplatinite. On exposure to the light, the ferric salts are reduced to the ferrous state. When the paper is placed in a potassium oxalate developer, these ferrous salts are dissolved and in turn reduce the platinum salts to a metallic state. The print is then cleared in a series of dilute hydrochloric acid baths to remove the ferric salts remaining in the paper. The image that is produced consist of metallic platinum and is considered to be the most beautiful and permanent of all black and white images.

Kallitype (van Dyke) Print
The van dyke or brownprint method is the simplest Kallitype technique, and is used for sensitizing and printing a combined solution containing ferric oxalate, oxalic acid and silver nitrate. The paper is coated by brushing, dipping or spraying the solution. It is printed in sunlight or with an artificial light source. The developer usually consists of sodium potassium tartrate and borax, with potassium dichromate. The clearing bath is a potassium oxalate solution. The fixing bath is a mixture of hypo and ammonia. In addition, a hypo-clearing bath is used and gold toning is done.

Gum Print
Gum prints can be made in any color. The paper for gum printing is coated with the solution of gum arabic, ammonium dichromate or potassium dichromate, and a watercolor pigment. It is dried and contact printed by exposing it to sunlight or some other UV light source. During the exposure, the gum becomes insoluble in proportion to the light passing through the negative. The image is developed by floating the print face down in a tray of water. The gum gradually dissolves off the face of the print from those areas that did not receive exposure, carrying the pigment with it. The exposed areas, having lost their solubility, form the image which consists of pigment left sticking to the paper's surface.

Combination Print
These are the most exciting and rewarding images for me. I have created my best images combining the cyanotype process and kallitype (van dyke). The ultramarine blue and raw umber colors are typical of my last paints done while working on my masters degree at Cal State Fullerton. It was very frustrating and required a lot of experimenting in order to come up with the right combinations, exposures, and applications of these processes. I have combined the gum, platinum / palladium, van dyke and cyanotype processes creating some very stunning - one of a kind images.

I am in the process of having some of these images reproduced in limited editions by new digital technology called Giclee (Geeclay) or Iris print.

Giclee / Iris Print
Giclee / Iris printing is a relatively new printing process which in the last few years has become highly regarded by many of the world's most important fine artist, collectors, galleries and museums. Giclee / Iris printing technique combines new digital technologies with traditional print making techniques which provides the artist with many creative possibilities that were never before available.



	Print Definitions: Silver Prints Thumbnails Silver prints, usually referred to as "black and white prints", are coated with a halogen compound such as bromide, iodine and silver that provide the light sensitive material necessary to create an image - thus the term SILVER PRINTS. This coating, which is referred to as the emulsion, is applied to two different mediums: fiber-based paper and resin coated (RC) paper. The exposed sheet of paper is developed - converting the negative image from film into a positive image on the paper. It is then fixed in a fixing bath, wasted and then dried. I use a double weight fiber-base paper for all my silver prints because it produces a better-looking image and is more archival. Nonsilver Prints Thumbnails During the 1840s, a great number of photographic printing processes were developed which were based on the light sensitivity of metals other than silver. The non-silver processes that I use for my images can be divided into two groups: the ferric (iron) processes, which are cyanotype, platinum and palladium, and the kallitype (van dyke) brown printing; and the second group, dichromate (or bichromate) processes, which includes the gum printing process. Colored Prints Thumbnails My work in color/colored images is very limited and rather new to me. I've just started doing color images in the last four or five years. The images are either "C" prints made from color negatives, "R" prints made from color slides or hand colored black and white prints. Cyanotype Print In the cyanotype process, paper is sensitized with ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide. Exposure to light reduces a portion of the ferric salt to the ferrous state resulting in the formation of a pale, blue-white image consisting of ferrocyanide. After exposure, the cyanotype is washed in water to remove the soluble, unreduced salts. While drying, the ferrous ferroncyanide slowly oxidizes to a deep blue tone. Except for a tendency toward slight fading and a vulnerability to alkalinity, cyanotype images are permanent. Platium & Palladium Print In platinum printing, paper is sensitized with light-sensitive ferric oxalate and potassium chloroplatinite or platinum chloride. After the sensitized solution is brushed on and has dried, a negative is placed in contact with the paper and exposure is made with sunlight, black light, quartz lamp or a similar light source. The sanitizing solution contains ferric oxalate, oxalic acid, potassium chlorate and potassium chloroplatinite. On exposure to the light, the ferric salts are reduced to the ferrous state. When the paper is placed in a potassium oxalate developer, these ferrous salts are dissolved and in turn reduce the platinum salts to a metallic state. The print is then cleared in a series of dilute hydrochloric acid baths to remove the ferric salts remaining in the paper. The image that is produced consist of metallic platinum and is considered to be the most beautiful and permanent of all black and white images. Kallitype (van Dyke) Print The van dyke or brownprint method is the simplest Kallitype technique, and is used for sensitizing and printing a combined solution containing ferric oxalate, oxalic acid and silver nitrate. The paper is coated by brushing, dipping or spraying the solution. It is printed in sunlight or with an artificial light source. The developer usually consists of sodium potassium tartrate and borax, with potassium dichromate. The clearing bath is a potassium oxalate solution. The fixing bath is a mixture of hypo and ammonia. In addition, a hypo-clearing bath is used and gold toning is done. Gum Print Gum prints can be made in any color. The paper for gum printing is coated with the solution of gum arabic, ammonium dichromate or potassium dichromate, and a watercolor pigment. It is dried and contact printed by exposing it to sunlight or some other UV light source. During the exposure, the gum becomes insoluble in proportion to the light passing through the negative. The image is developed by floating the print face down in a tray of water. The gum gradually dissolves off the face of the print from those areas that did not receive exposure, carrying the pigment with it. The exposed areas, having lost their solubility, form the image which consists of pigment left sticking to the paper's surface. Combination Print These are the most exciting and rewarding images for me. I have created my best images combining the cyanotype process and kallitype (van dyke). The ultramarine blue and raw umber colors are typical of my last paints done while working on my masters degree at Cal State Fullerton. It was very frustrating and required a lot of experimenting in order to come up with the right combinations, exposures, and applications of these processes. I have combined the gum, platinum / palladium, van dyke and cyanotype processes creating some very stunning - one of a kind images. I am in the process of having some of these images reproduced in limited editions by new digital technology called Giclee (Geeclay) or Iris print. Giclee / Iris Print Giclee / Iris printing is a relatively new printing process which in the last few years has become highly regarded by many of the world's most important fine artist, collectors, galleries and museums. Giclee / Iris printing technique combines new digital technologies with traditional print making techniques which provides the artist with many creative possibilities that were never before available.