More recent bromoil images

[terri]

Here is what I've been working on lately. I am beginning to develop a technique with the brushes - suddenly the inking process is going much quicker. It took me a couple of hours, each, to ink my first two or three. I don't think it took me more than 45 minutes apiece on these.

I really enjoy this process. I'm interested in your opinions, feedback, questions, etc., as always.

Wildflowers - originally shot with Ilford SFX 200, no filter.

This image was also shot with Ilford SFX, though I used a #25 red filter for an infrared effect. I was about 4 feet in front of it and used a wide angle lens for deliberate distortion. This film made it more challenging to bromoil, because of the increased contrast in the negative. I've hand painted this image before, it's called "Abandoned."

Do I ever do any alternative process without dragging out this ship?? I have slides of this image I've used for SX-70 manipulation, transfers and lifts - and I almost forgot I had also shot this with HIE and a #25 red filter. Again, very contrasty negative. This one's called "Docked".

Let me know what you think.

 

[ferny]

The crispness of the flower shot is stunning. The car is just all round excellent. It looks like it's got a sad eye. I'm not so keen on the ship one. It's been done very well, but I'm just not a huge fan of that photograph. Boats and ships don't really do it for me.

Keep up the good work. I will buy one eventually.

 

[sillyphaunt]

Amazing Terri..I LOVE The first one.. You know my fondness for Holga, so the Holga look really appeals to me. I have no criticisms, I think they're all beautiful.

 

[terri]

Yeah, Ferny, we were out hiking when we came across that car, and I just couldn't leave till I snagged the picture. It looked so tragic there, rusting in the woods!

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

 

[ksmattfish]

Awesome! Did you buy a bromoil kit, or just the ingredients/materials individually. Can you give us a list of what is needed. I want to try this out with portraits.

 

[terri]

Thanks, Matt! There are indeed bromoil kits out there, but I bought only the chemicals as a "kit" - much cheaper that way. Funny you should ask for a list, because I'm on the verge of putting up a sticky here of suppliers for all this stuff. I'll try to get it up tomorrow, ok? Stay tuned.

But that's mainly for the inks and chemicals. Your local Home Depot or some such home improvement/hardware store will be the best supply of brushes. You'll want them fat - say, 1 to 1.5" in diameter, and round. Amble over to the wallpaper/stippling area, that's where you'll find some.

A google search on the process itself will only intimidate you as you read about the "exact" type of brush you must use (stagfoot shape, boar's hair, ultra $$) and how you must only use darkroom papers with no supercoating. Rubbish. Stick with plain old Agfa Classic 118. I plan on venturing out to other "bromoil-specific" papers, but right now I'm pretty happy with what the Agfa gives me. I'm so familiar with this paper, and anything that eased the newness of trying something so different was fine by me.

A word of caution: everything I've read advises a dedicated tray for the bleaching solution. So pick one and stick with it, considering paper size and all that, in advance.

And the bromoil portraits I've seen are amazing. You're definitely on the right track with your thinking.

More soon!

 

[2500kelvin]

Amazing, i must say. I love them. What´s that about using brushes?

 

[terri]

Amazing, i must say. I love them. What´s that about using brushes?

Thanks so much, Kelvin. I use artist's brushes to apply the inks to the prints. Various shapes, sizes and bristle textures for certain looks. I'm really happy you like them!

 

[2500kelvin]

You are wrong. Saying i like them isn´t enough: i looove them. That´s the look i want for my photos, but i still don´t know the way you took for it. What kind of inks? At first, i though you were using brushes to apply the developer or something like that. You see... i´m lost