Images on Element 6.
I took up carbon printing this past summer with Jim Fitzgerald in Ventura, CA – he’s a fabulous teacher. He couldn’t afford materials to support traditional photography so his search lead him to learn Carbon Printing (the real one, not the ink jet version). The materials are really inexpensive (dirt cheap) but the process takes 3-4 days and the permanence rivals that of a platinum/palladium print. The best part about a carbon print is the relief it gives between shadows and highlights. One must really hold a carbon print against the light to understand.
I made my first batch of “glop” and I was surprise how easy it is to make – almost like cooking. However, my printing process still needs some refinement. In particular, I need to fine tune my contrast control and patience control.
I was a little too eager on my first print and agitated it too much. The edges started to frill but I kinda’ like the effect it gave!
