Gum printing was invented 1855 in France by Alphoncse Poitevin. It is a non-silver photographic printing process also referred to as Carbon-Process. This particular printing method is time consuming and very "emotional" but yields an artistic and romantic image. Since gum-printing is an imprecise technique, each print comes out slightly different. Some details in the image are also worked on individually, when the print is still wet.
The printing paper is coated with a light sensitive chemical and then exposed to the sun under a large negative. After developing, the print is dried, recoated and exposed again. Each of Tor's prints are coated and exposed 3-4 times, sometimes more. It takes about 6 hours to complete one print. Not all come out well, and have to be discarded.
All prints are signed. They are made on acid free Strathmore water color paper, using color pigments of the highest quality. As a result, these prints are archival.
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(The quality of these reproductions vary greatly from the originals)