“Before” tintype 13 cm x 18 cm

“After” tintype 13 cm x 18 cm

“No! Not this plate! Gr!@$%^&&” (!!! (some words not apropriate to repeat…)
When we think we’ve come a bit closer to mastering this unique process, something like this happenes:
A plate (a lovely one) has to be varnished at one point (or another). That is my job, that’s what I am good at. After a week of tweaking the varnish, (a drop of more demi, a drop of ethanol when it flows too slow) it seems perfect. I give it a go with a test plate. Result is fine. I warm this plate a bit, handwarm, as it should be. I flow the varnish (sanderac dissolved in ethanol with a finishing touch of some lavenderoil to get the cohesia a bit better) and then it happens: the plate gets dark, edges smudge, and I can see tiny cracks appear in the silvery image… If I pour off the varnish, I know, the whole image will float off the plate…
And I curse, almost cry.
It hurts.
Damn.