- Messages
- 4,446
One of the (very) few joys of moving is coming across some of your older work. I recently unearthed some of my bromoil prints.
Bromoil printmaking is another of what is referred to as an “alternative photographic process” that I like to do. I really had to mentally prepare for it before trying my first print, since, even though it’s a fairly straightforward darkroom process, it involves the use of special chemicals, and other cool stuff, from various vendors. I also took my time reading as much as I could find about the process. I prefer being shown first!
You’re basically making a regular silver gelatin print, then bleaching it away (using the afore-mentioned photo chemistry), and bringing it back with stiff lithographic inks. You are also transforming a gelatin silver print into a carbon-based print, thereby increasing its archival properties. (It was quite hugely popular in the first half of the 20th century.)
When you are at the point of applying the inks to the print, it's supposed to be done easily on a tabletop, though it can be done underwater to reduce contrast. I was basically terrified so I opted to weight the print in a tray of water and brushed the inks on while submerged. It came out softer than I thought it would - but it's a soft negative to begin with.
It was dark in that diner. We just wandered in to order food and I quickly set up my tripod to shoot this corner while we waited on our order.
That pinwheel was killing me!
Comments, C&C all welcome! Thanks for looking.
Bromoil printmaking is another of what is referred to as an “alternative photographic process” that I like to do. I really had to mentally prepare for it before trying my first print, since, even though it’s a fairly straightforward darkroom process, it involves the use of special chemicals, and other cool stuff, from various vendors. I also took my time reading as much as I could find about the process. I prefer being shown first!
You’re basically making a regular silver gelatin print, then bleaching it away (using the afore-mentioned photo chemistry), and bringing it back with stiff lithographic inks. You are also transforming a gelatin silver print into a carbon-based print, thereby increasing its archival properties. (It was quite hugely popular in the first half of the 20th century.)
When you are at the point of applying the inks to the print, it's supposed to be done easily on a tabletop, though it can be done underwater to reduce contrast. I was basically terrified so I opted to weight the print in a tray of water and brushed the inks on while submerged. It came out softer than I thought it would - but it's a soft negative to begin with.
It was dark in that diner. We just wandered in to order food and I quickly set up my tripod to shoot this corner while we waited on our order.
That pinwheel was killing me!Comments, C&C all welcome! Thanks for looking.
It's a cool photo, Terri! Thanks for explaining how there's so much more to photography than most of us ever know about.
