Ganger's Hardware

[Terri]

This is an image transfer on to plain aluminum foil - the kind you find in the kitchen. I thought this infrared shot might benefit from the silvery surroundings - it does, but it's hard to see it from this photo. It's most obvious in the lightest tonal values of the image.

I glued the heavy duty foil to an 8x10 canvas board using gel medium, then used the same gel medium to cover the area where I wanted to place the print. The print was done from a laser printer onto cheap copy paper, then put face down into the wet gel medium. After it dried I used a spray bottle to soak the back of the copy paper, to loosen and peel off the paper to reveal the transferred image.

This is my first attempt. You can see where the ink lifted off in the darkest area of the sidewalk. I don't mind the little tears and rips around the edges. You can also see the ridges and folds from the aluminum foil running throughout, a nice textural element.

All comments are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for looking!

 

[Jo Castillo]

Wow, interesting and different. I like your choice of print, all goes together. I'm smiling.

 

[OliveOyl]

Okay, I love this….an old building, deserted town and interesting shadows. I want to find an old beaten up frame (wood or metal) and mount it right up to the squiggly edge along the image. But I’m not you although…my sister is named Terri (with an “i”) so we’re ALMOST related.

Anyway…will you do more on foil? Does it shine when you move it around? Where did you get the image?

 

[Terri]

Jo, thank you! I'm happy to have put a smile on your face.

Olive - well, okay, your sister actually spells Terri the CORRECT way, so this definitely means there's a family tie in there someplace!

Thanks for the kind words! I took this shot in some tiny little town in Florida, likely we were taking a back road on our way someplace else. I tend to have these "Stop the car!" moments and just get the picture and then later, I'm not always certain where I was. So it's my image from a scanned negative using Kodak infrared film.

I agree with you about the size: I'd like less foil showing around the image. I have 3 more that I wish I'd sized to fit the canvas panel better. BUT - I used cheap panels I got on sale at Blicks, and they are bowing outward a little already. Just from the moisture from gel medium, I guess. Really annoying, but these are easily re-done once I figure out a consistent process. Bad quality canvas panels from Blick, though, but at least I consider these experimental.

 

[Terri]

Does it shine when you move it around?

It never occurred to me to show a close-up, and hold the panel at an angle to get that sheen. Duh!

In these shots, you can at least see the foil better, through the building and in the sky.

In

 

[OliveOyl]

Oh yeah, I see it! And so now I vote for a rusty metal frame.

I’ve done a few paper transfers on canvas before which came out okay, but it seems the best surface for transfers are wood panels. You know the ones with 2-3” cradled sides? I’m assuming you’ve done your transfers on them before? I learned the hard way, but I think you have to prepare the surface FIRST with some kind of seal before you apply watery type things to wood. Which you already know, I’m sure.

I always feel funny offering technical opinions because what do *I* know!??? Part of the fun of art making - IMO - is figuring out our own way to get to wherever it is we want to go.

 

[Donna T]

This is so cool and so creative,Terri! I love that you keep exploring new ways to do transfers. Thanks for the close-ups so I can admire the texture and glow from the foil. I guess the foil effect would work well with a metallic subject but I like that you think outside the box.

 

[snoball]

I love this and the irregular edges are perfect. The place where the ink came off almost looks like a stack of produce laying on the sidewalk. I really like the effect of the black and white print.

 

[Sanlynn]

Just love this!! Thank you for explaining your process. Keep them coming as I would be interested in seeing more.

 

[Hermes2020]

Thank you Terri, this is the kind of post I love. It is the kind that explains the process used to produce a stunning result. A bonus is that it is truly inspiring; it is a technique I may well want to try as well.

 

[joe1It]

Formidable

 

[john]

Yeah what they said. Amazing how that works. Can you superimpose prints on each other?

 

[Enyaw]

Great shot and digging in the ruins always has surprises. I do like the idea of foil as smoke and mirrors do help the imagination move onward.

 

[Terri]

Donna, Sno, Sanlynn, Hermes, Joe, John, Wayne - thank you ALL so much for looking and commenting. I'm tickled that this piece is showing so well.

I will post a few more soon: now I can appreciate that the close-up views are helpful and I'll get some.

Olive: seems to me that Blick claimed their canvas boards were primed and ready to go - but I was also reading some comments online that they were cheap and tended to bowing, but I was pretty sure it wouldn't happen to ME. Again, at least these are what I consider test prints! But you are right: the heavier/sturdier your support, the better. And priming is usually recommended.

Can you superimpose prints on each other?

Can't think why not - depends on the images, I'd guess.

 

[Bongo]

Love this - "tin type".

Years ago I painted (a lot) on canvas boards and never had a problem. I tried them again recently and had lots of warping issues. The ones I painted back-in-the-day were canvas over a cardboard. The ones they use now are canvas over thin hardboard (masonite). You'd think if anything the modern ones would be less likely to warp but that's not been my experience.. I've tried two different brands and both warp. I'm trying to first coat all sides with Lineco's Neutral ph adhesive - not sure it helps or not. One thing - be sure to let them dry flat and store them flat or supported so they can't warp. I know you said this was a test, but the support issue is something you might want to figure out before you proceed too far.

 

[Terri]

Thanks, Bongo! I appreciate your insight, as well as your experience with these panels.

 

[Artyczar]

Yes, it does have a kind of "tin type" vibe. But it's a "Terri print!" I LOVE your experiments. This one is no exception. It's so original and beautiful. I am with Olive on the framing, although, before I saw the edge, I was hoping it had a kind of deckled edge and it could be floated in a frame. But a rusty, metal frame will work. I wonder how glass will look over it though. I guess you'll have to try it. Maybe get non-glare museum glass. It's a lot more money, but it will be well-worth it. This piece is stellar and must be presented with high integrity! LOVE it!

 

[Terri]

Yes, it does have a kind of "tin type" vibe. But it's a "Terri print!" I LOVE your experiments. This one is no exception. It's so original and beautiful. I am with Olive on the framing, although, before I saw the edge, I was hoping it had a kind of deckled edge and it could be floated in a frame. But a rusty, metal frame will work. I wonder how glass will look over it though. I guess you'll have to try it. Maybe get non-glare museum glass. It's a lot more money, but it will be well-worth it. This piece is stellar and must be presented with high integrity! LOVE it!

Thank you so much, Ayin!

 

[Grapes]

Another beauty!! These are excellent!

 

[Terri]

Thank you so much, Moscatel. I'm happy you like them.