Suggestions?

[PlasticSpanner]

OK so Meysha's post kinda prompted me to get the Polaroid out, well that and the puffy clouds and sunshine after all that rain!

There is an old brick/timber barn on my way to work I've been meaning to get some shots of and tonight on the way home I finally got the opportunity. Also, just 200 yards up the road is a lay-by which overlooks a corn field & farm and with the fluffy clouds I took a couple more shots too!

These were all taken on 669 film with emulsion lifts in mind, so I would like some suggestions on what material to transfer to or other suggestion to play with it!

 

[ann]

of course there is watercolor paper, but also glass, pottery, marble, tile.

 

[terri]

Well, what would you like to see as your final product?

With lifts, really the sky's the limit. Once you get the emulsion off, you can keep it carefully intact, or shred it, or combine the emulsions of several different prints and build an image that way.....etc.

Have you done many of these, Chris? If not, be nice to yourself and start out using hot pressed watercolor paper. It has a smooth finish that accepts the emulsion easily. I like Arches. Buy a large sheet at an art supply store and fold it over a few times, to give yourself several pieces.

Sounds like you'll have some nice images to play with. Can't wait to see!

 

[PlasticSpanner]

I have several attempts on paper, wood & tils with just two what I would call successes, one on paper & 1 on a mirror tile. My attempts on wood & tiles either fold/crease badly or changed colour to the extent of looking bad! I have had some problems getting the emulsion to stick to paper but I think I may have figured this out now.

ann, I hadn't thought of glass before! You may be onto something there. How about laminating the emulsion between 2 layers of glass?.......

 

[terri]

How about laminating the emulsion between 2 layers of glass?.......

I'd like to hear about this, as well, if Ann has suggestions.

I've seen some of Ann's work with Polaroid film; take heed of her advice because she does fantastic work. :thumbup:

 

[PlasticSpanner]

Is hot pressed watercolour paper similar to use and texture as plain art paper soaked in hot water then dried?

I found especially with transfers that it was much easier to use soaked & dried paper than damp because the emulsion tended to just lift off after being rolled! (i.e on damp paper)

 

[terri]

Is hot pressed watercolour paper similar to use and texture as plain art paper soaked in hot water then dried?

I found especially with transfers that it was much easier to use soaked & dried paper than damp because the emulsion tended to just lift off after being rolled! (i.e on damp paper)

Define "plain art paper". A good quality watercolor paper will come in varying weights, is acid-free and durable when soaked in water. I've never had a lift dry up and fall off a 140# paper. 90# paper is a little thin for me, and 300# works well, but frankly is harder for me to tear down to workable size, so may be better used for large images.

The "hot press" tells you the texture is going to be very smooth, as the paper was subjected to, literally, a large hot press at the time of manufacture and comes out feeling very machine-smoothed. A cold-press paper, while still acid free and durable and of very good quality, will have a more nubby or rough texture. (It can look great with certain images.)

Either way, after a brief soak in tepid water you'll want to squeegee off the excess water before you apply the emulsion and use the brayer.

 

[PlasticSpanner]

Define "plain art paper".

Definition of plain art paper - " Vicky, can you get me some art paper? You know, the kind you can paint on!"

Sorry I really don't know what type/weight it is although it's almost the same thickness as normal Ilford VC photo paper (if that helps! :blushing: )

I might actually get some new, better paper?

 

[PlasticSpanner]

So after a 10 minute session in the darkroom last night (that strangely went from 8pm to 1:30 am! ) I have 2 new lifts! 1 on white tile and 1 on a peice of oak veneer

I'll set a copy stand up this afternoon & try to post a pic!

 

[terri]

Funny how time warps occur in darkrooms, isn't it?

Can't wait to see these! And I have copystand envy. :meh: