Day 1: Preparing Tissue
Despite my better judgement, I decide today is a fine day to make tissues for carbon transfer. After 1.5 years at this merciless process, I come crawling back for another attempt at metal-free perfection.
4:22PM
- After arriving at the darkroom, I hastily mix together 50g gelatin
with 500ml water, so that the gelatin may adequately "bloom".
5:15PM
- Now that the gelatin has set, I melt it in a 120 degree (F) water
bath and stir in 25g sugar, 12.5ml India Ink, 10ml isopropyl alcohol,
and 1ml glycerin. The now pigmented "glop" is filtered into a container
in the same water bath for "gassing out".
7:08PM - In the meantime, I manage to eat dinner, clean darkroom, complete 4 new levels of Angry Birds, and even make some 8x10 silver gelatin contact prints. Carbon transfer printing comes in a close 2nd to bromoil printing for "Most Downtime in a Photographic Process".
7:20PM -
Fixed out pieces of 10x12" x-ray film are placed in warm water bath,
then squeegeed to plate glass on a level surface. 100ml of warm "glop"
is then poured onto film surface, spread even by hand. Process is
repeated four more times for a total of five carbon "tissues".
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