Antiquarian Avant-Garde Photography
Works by the North Texas Alternative Process Group
Sun to Moon Gallery, Dallas, Texas
July 19 – August 18, 2012
TECHNICAL PROCESS DESCRIPTIONS
Casein Bichromate: Casein bichromate is a non-silver, contact-printing photographic process. Typically, paper is coated with a suspension containing dichromate, a water-soluble pigment and casein protein derived from cheese, which serves as the binder, and then exposed to ultraviolet light to produce a positive image. Compared to the gum bichromate process, casein affords the artist with greater latitude for error. Although dating back to 1905, photographers began to explore casein printing at length in the latter half of the twentieth century.
Cyanotype (with Pecan Dye): Cyanotype is a non-silver, contact-printing photographic process. Paper, cloth, or another porous surface is coated with a solution of potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium. Ultraviolet light is used for exposure, causing the coated material to print in a cyan color, the distinguishing feature of this process. Cyanotypes may also be toned with various chemistry to slightly shift the color. In this instance a natural dye, derived from the pecan tree, has been utilized. Sir John Herschel first discovered the cyanotype process in 1842.
Encaustic: In its simplest form, encaustic involves melting wax with a resin to create a fused medium. Pigment may also be added to create an encaustic paint. The medium or paint is brushed on when it's hot, and each layer is applied to the surface with a heat gun, torch or iron. The wax can be built up or scraped into, and objects as well as photos can be embedded into or transferred onto the surface.
Gum Bichromate: Gum bichromate is a non-silver, contact-printing photographic process. The paper is generally brushed with a solution containing dichromate, a water-soluble pigment and gum arabic. The sensitized gum hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light; the unhardened gum is washed away to reveal a positive image. Prints of a delicate and infinite nuance, or vivid saturation with rich density are possible with gum. Patented in 1855, the celebrated gum process has been practiced by numerous icons of photography including Alfred Stieglitz and Gertrude Käsebier.
Inkjet Printing on Fabric: Inkjet on fabric is a contemporary non-silver printing process. It involves several steps: pre-treating fabric with a solution to render the ink insoluble in water, adhering fabric to freezer paper in order to stabilize it during movement through a printer, experimenting with various print settings to obtain a desired result, and finally, pressing with a hot dry iron to set the ink.
Palladium: Palladium is a non-silver, contact-printing photographic process. Often combined with small quantities of another noble metal platinum, the palladium process can render a rich and beautiful range of warm brown tones when exposed to ultraviolet light. Variations of the platinum/palladium process date back to the late nineteenth century, and platinum in particular (when it was more affordable), was practiced regularly by some of the most notable printers in the history of photography including Edward Steichen and Irving Penn.
Photographic Image Transfer: A photo transfer involves imprinting an image from a color or black-and-white photocopy onto another surface. The photocopy is first coated with a solvent, which separates the ink from the paper. Then, pressure is applied to the reverse side of the image to transfer it to the new surface. The final effect is a semi-transparent image, which can be fixed onto three-dimensional objects and other surfaces that cannot be traditionally printed on.
Wetplate Collodion (Ambrotype and Tintype): The wetplate collodion process was founded in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer and became an important process for portraiture in the nineteenth century. The technique is performed in one of two ways: Ambrotype on glass and Tintype on blackened iron. The process utilizes collodion as the chemical substrate and silver nitrate as the sensitizer and is executed entirely while wet (coating, sensitizing, shooting and development). The technique was widely used between 1851 until the 1880’s.
Ziatype: The Ziatype is a palladium-based, contact-printing photographic process. Ziatypes can be chemically adjusted for image color and contrast, most commonly resulting in a warm brown or cool black print when exposed to ultraviolet light. The Ziatype is often referred to as the new platinum process because it can simulate the appearance of a platinum image. Developed in the labs of Bostick & Sullivan during the early 1990’s, the Ziatype is a modern variation of Giuseppe Pizzighelli’s printing out process from the late 1800’s.
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Sun to Moon Gallery
1515 Levee Street
Dallas, TX 75207
Phone 214.745.1199