Dumb Newbie Request

[Utterly Clueless]

Hello super experts. I wonder if you can help me? I am an artist who was reading about an artist in America who coats watercolour paper with silver nitrate before painting on it. I would like to do the same thing but found his description of how he did it rather vague. Here is what he wrote...

I take a large piece of watercolor paper into the darkroom and I soak it in a silver nitrate and water solution.
Once the paper is saturated I process it as if it was a photograph.

The result is a piece of paper with no image on it, but the paper is impregnated with the silver nitrate solution.

Once the paper is completely dry it is ready for the creative process.

That bit where he says, "I process it as if it was a photograph" is the bit I'm stuck on. Do I need to buy other chemicals other than the silver nitrate (Liquid Light)? What do I do then? Wouldn't the paper cockle?
Could some kind soul talk me through the process? I did email the artist but received no reply. Anyway, your thoughts welcome.



PS I don't have a darkroom but I do have heavy curtains and a torch with a red Quality Street wrapper stuck on it.

PPS Also, is there a section on this forum where copyright-free photos are shared?

 

[SparkUK]

I think any of the photos in the digital sections can be shared copyright-free as they only exist on the internet. As for your torch the wrapper from the toffee brazils gives better contrast.

 

[Alastair]

A link to the original artists description of the process would help. Usually the helpful bits are buried around the quote.. and it would be very useful for us to have a bot more of a clue as to what you're trying to achieve.

It sounds like you're wanting to do might be some sort of contact printing process.

There's a couple of dozen books on alternate photographic processes, and a few good websites.. for example, Alternative Photography.

There are no specific sections on this forum for "copyright free" images. You might want to research Creative Commons licenses on Flickr, but pay very strict attention to "no derivatives" clauses.

It is *always* polite and proper to ask a photographer before appropriating any image. If you're planning on doing what I think you are, then you're going to have some very precise criteria on the sorts of image you'll need.

More information would allow people to be more helpful..

 

[offline]

DenIs MInamora?
I thInk he's mIssIng some steps out. Unless anyone has Ideas where you can cut corners, you wIll need more chemIcals and darkroom equIpment. I'd guess you could start off easIer projectIng an Image onto a canvas and paIntIng lIke wIth a camera obscura.

 

[Alastair]

Ahh.. found the process on the Minamora website.

It isn't really a photographic process, just a series of chemical applications..

"The Silver Nitrate solution on the paper prevents watercolors from spreading. I now have edge control."

It's the application of the silver nitrate, then developing and fixing as an unexposed image with the intention being to use the silver nitrate to control the way the paper behaves.

Clueless - read this, but you will have to carry out the processing in trays in a darkroom unless you can find a Patterson tank large enough to get the sheet of paper into (or use small pieces of paper).

It might be even easier to ask one of the home developers on this forum to prepare some sheets for you.

 

[TheBigYin]

I think any of the photos in the digital sections can be shared copyright-free as they only exist on the internet. As for your torch the wrapper from the toffee brazils gives better contrast.

Absoloutely, totally and definitely INCORRECT!!!

From the rules...

All images, graphics, and photographs submitted remain copyright of the respective author

 

[Utterly Clueless]

Wow! Thanks everyone! Such friendly, quick advice. Yes, the artist is Denis Minamora.

 

[AlanSmithee]

I read: "Once the paper is saturated I process it as if it was a photograph." as processing as a BW print. That would be putting it in, say, some Dektol developer, stop bath, fixer and hang to dry. And I assume the times would be the same as a BW print but why a stop bath when there is no image to stop the development, I wonder.

 

[raathistle]

Unless there is something in the process which hasn't been revealed I don't see how paper which has been soaked in silver nitrate, not exposed to light, and then dev'd, fixed and washed is in any way different to normal paper.

The silver will simply be fixed out and removed in the wash, similar to a completely unexposed piece of film. If it was treated with emulsion you would be left with the gelatine size which may give the properties the artist says, but pure silver nitrate shouldn't leave any residue if processed properly, would it?

 

[Marc]

I think any of the photos in the digital sections can be shared copyright-free as they only exist on the internet. As for your torch the wrapper from the toffee brazils gives better contrast.

Just to reiterate what TBY said, there are No sections of this forum where the photos are copyright free. I would imagine that most, if not all, forums would be the same.