Escondido Roadrunner
David Marsh

Media: Gold Toned Salt Print
Frame Size: 17” x 21”
Price: $400


Process:
I start with a sheet of 100% cotton rag paper, trim it to size and mark the edges of the desired image area with a pencil. Then, using a glass rod I do two separate coats of a salt solution with a sizing agent. Next a solution of silver nitrate is spread onto the paper using a smaller glass rod. This step will define where the image will be shown on the paper. The salt and silver nitrate combine to form crystals in the paper which are sensitive to ultraviolet light.

A specially prepared digital negative is placed against the sensitized paper and held tight with a piece of acrylic. It is then exposed for 30 minutes under an artificial uv light source. Once exposed, the print is washed several times with salt water. Then I tone it in a bath of gold toner. The gold in the toner combines with the silver in the print to greatly enhance its archival properties. Once toned, the print is again washed thoroughly before being fixed in a normal photographic fixer. Now the image is permanently set into the fibers of the paper. The print then gets washed for 1 hour to ensure all remaining processing chemicals have been removed.

Once dried, I flatten the print overnight and the next day I give it a light buffing with some beeswax and lavender oil.