foam brush paper coating question

[buggy]

Lately I have been coating with a foam brush. 2 coats. VDB. Cranes kid finish white. I started out with a puddle pusher and just didn't like that technique. My last few prints have looked grainy, not smooth like before. They also have little tiny white dots on the print especially noticeable in the shadow areas. I have been using the same foam brush for awhile now. I do wash it out after each session.

I am wondering if the roughness and white dots in the print are due to my coating technique, should I be using a new brush for each print? Is it due to overexposing the print?

Is this a common problem with using foam brushes? Should I get a regular brush?

Anybody have any ideas on this? If needed I could post the image.

[TheFlyingCamera]

As someone once told me when I started learning Palladium printing -

"Put down the foam brush and step away from the coating area!"

at least get yourself a nice but inexpensive Hake brush from most art supply stores. Or splurge and get a Richeson 9010 brush. The white dots are probably caused by the foam brush tearing (literally!) up the paper base.

[Photo Engineer]

Or, the dots could be air bubbles formed by the foam brush itself forcing air into the liquid as it coats it. You might try adding a drop or two of surfactant to the liquid before you coat. I have been told that Tween 20 or Tween 80 are useful in these situations.

PE

[Kerik]

FlyingCamera is correct. The foam brush abrades the paper, especially when double-coating and especially when using a somewhat delicate paper like Cranes Kid. Do yourself a favor and get the Richeson Series 9010 Watercolor Wash brush. If you take care of it, it will last for years and years. Worth every penny and then some. Try http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-su...es/online/2101 for good prices on these brushes.

[Michael Slade]

Listen to Master Kerik...he speaks the truth!

[billschwab]

Richeson Series 9010 is the way... Dump that sponge! You'll find your sensitizer will go a lot further. Untill the Richeson comes, go to the local art supply store and get yourself a synthetic watercolor brush. Mine works almost as nicely as the 9010.

Good Luck!

Bill

[scootermm]

just to reiterate what kerik and flyingcamera said, I know exactly what you are experiencing Buggy, I noticed similiar effects with Kid Finish paper when double coating VDB with a foam brush. I learned this the hard way... always had to touch the stove to know it was hot.
I used a foam brush at first for almost all of my alt printing and when I compared it to the smoothness of the richeson brush (or coating rod) its night and day. Go with "day"

[buggy]

Thank you all very much. As Theflyingcamera and Kerik indicate it is literally tearing or abrading the paper. That is exactly what it looks likes. When I am coating it even sounds like it is abrading the paper. And Matt, you mention the coating rod and richeson give a smoothness to the print, the few times I've used the coating rod, even though I really don't like using it, my images were very smooth with no problems.

Thanks all for your input, you made my day!

[TheFlyingCamera]

Another place to get the Richeson brush is Cheap Joes. They don't have the full range of sizes for the Richeson, but the smaller ones they do have are a little cheaper than Jerry's.

http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supplie...eson-flats.asp

[buggy]

Thanks again everyone. My foam brushes are in the trash and a richeson is on the way!