Spotone Replacement

[RalphLambrecht]

Since Spotone is gone, I'm looking for replacements. After evaluating the commercial products, I heard somewhere of a recipe to make your own from india ink, gum arabic and water. But I can't recall where.

Does anyone have a recipe?

[Monophoto]

Edward Weston used an india ink and gum arabic mixuture. The formula is reproduced in the original edition of Adams "The Print":

"use equal parts (by weight) of Chinese (stick) ink and gum arabic; dissolve in enough water to cover these ingredients, and mix. Let dry out and mold to suit. Moisten a brush in water (to which a wetting agent may be added), wipe on a piece of paper until the proper gray shows, then apply to the print. A dry brush works much better than a "wet" brush. The amount of gum arabic may be increased 2 or 3 time to increae the sheet of the spotted area of the print."

For what it's worth, a commercial alternative is a set of spotting colors from Marshalls (the folks who make the oil coloring materials).

In my case, I bought a set of SpotTone colors about 30 years ago. I figure that I'm likely to run out before they will.

[RalphLambrecht]

Thanks

I found it on page 196. Much appreciated!

[Jim Jones]

I've been satisfied with Dr. Ph. Martin's Synchromatic Transparent Water Color in sepia. They make a variety of colors to mix for precise color matching. I'll try their black if my stash of Spotone runs out. An art supply store may stock this line. Some of their products, such as Radiant Concentrated Water Color, may not be permanent enough for displayed prints.

[AgCl4ever]

I too have run out of Spotone (well, I should have tried to revive the dried out stuff in the bottles). I have recently had good results using Peerless analine dyes (the ones for hand coloring). The pearl grey seemed to be close enough to black when used fairly concentrated, and sepia can always be added for warm tone.

Ken

[Michael A. Smith]

Peerless Dry Spot works perfectly. Comes in several shades of black and gray.

[Gerald Koch]

Chinese stick ink comes in two colors depending on the type of wood used to make the charcoal. One is a brownish black and the other a bluish black. This will allow you to reproduce two of the Spottone colors.

[Mike Kennedy]

I have a 6 pack of Spotone inks that have never been opened. I shall post them in the classified section.

Mike

[Scott Peters]

I sceond the Peerless Dry spot. Very easy to use. A pack of six at B & H should last a lifetime.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

[David R Munson]

Chinese stick ink comes in two colors depending on the type of wood used to make the charcoal. One is a brownish black and the other a bluish black. This will allow you to reproduce two of the Spottone colors.

Can someone post a picture or a link to an online listing for this sort of ink? I'm going to try the Weston approach, but I want to be sure of what I'm actually looking for. Is it like the ink stick used for sumi-e? Thanks!