Tiago Photography

This summer I graduatedfrom my Fine Art degree, and was eager to continue making photograms.I had no access to adarkroom, so I was overjoyed when I came across the fabulousStenoflex pin-hole camera at Fred Aldous, Manchester.
The Stenoflex materialsare packaged compactly inside the little black box that cleverlybecomes the pin-hole camera. When opening the Stenoflex, I was alittle worried that the photo-sensitive paper would be exposed tolight, but the photographic paper comes in its own handy little blackvelcro pouch.
Additional to the paperand box there is:
~ A red gel to coveryour light source, mimicking a traditional dark room light.
~ Developer & Fixer, both of which are labelled in French. Developer is labelled as"Revelateur" and fixer is labelled as "Fixateur".
~ Instructions in bothFrench & English.
To make photograms with the Stenoflex Pinhole Camera Kit you will need:
~ A torch to cover with the redgel to use as your dark room light while you are working. (I used aheadlamp from the pound shop and crudely gaffer-taped the gel on tothe torch making sure the red gel covered all of the light.)
~ 3 trays or bowls foryour developer, fixer and water. I bought a small plastic chest ofdesk drawers from the pound shop (again!) as I didn't want tocontaminate anything I use at home.
~ A light source whichyou can turn on and off again very easily i.e. lamp, torch, mainlight bulb.
~ A space that can bemade pitch black i.e. a cellar, shed, attic, bathroom (with windowscovered). This is very important, you shouldn't be able to seeanything unless you have your red-gel light on.
To Make A Photogram Use These Steps:Find something youwould like to make a photogram of. I used these objects: glassbeaker, dead leaves, soap bubbles, a �10 note, hair, nuts andbolts. The most fun part is experimentation and waiting to see whatit looks like as a photogram!
Assemble yourdeveloper, fixer and rinse trays and put them in to your make-shiftdark room. Switch on your red gel light.
Take your foundobjects in to your darkroom along with your photo-sensitive paperand torch / lamp which should be switched off at this point.
Make sure yourdarkroom is only lit by your red gel lamp, and then remove one pieceof paper from its pouch, making sure to close the pouch afterwardsso that you don't expose the whole pack!
Find a flatsurface and position your found objects on top of thephoto-sensitive paper.
Grab your lightsource (torch, lamp), hold directly over the paper and switch on for1-2 seconds. Your found object is blocking the light from reachingthe paper, and this is how your image is "printed" on to thepaper.
Develop, rinse andfix as normal.This technique willmost likely require a little trial and error, but you can work outhow much light you need to use by looking at your photogram after ithas been fixed.
If your fixed photogramhas gone white it is under-exposed.You have not used enough light oryour found object is blocking too much light from the paper.
If your fixed photogramhas gone black it is over-exposed. Too much light has reached thepaper, or your object isn't blocking enough light.
Here are my results:

Found Object: Soap Bubble blown directly on to photo-sensitive paper.

Found Object: Soap Bubble blown directly on to photo-sensitive paper.

Found Object:Dead Leaves

Found Object: Dead Leaves
Found Object: Glass Paperweight
See more of my photograms at Melaniek.Co.Uk

Labels: Artist, Britain, Bubbles, Camera, Cameraless Photography, Chemistry, England, Fred Aldous, Home, Leaves, Manchester, Melanie K, Photogram, Pinhole, Science, Soap Bubble, Stenoflex, Uk, United Kingdom

Pierre Cordier is the inventor of the "Chemigram" and a Cliche Verre practitioner.Cordiers' definition of "Chemigram" means "to write with chemistry".
To make a Chemigram you would paint with various chemicals (Cordier used nail polish, egg, varnish, wax and oil amongst other materials), expose to light and then develop as usual.
(When using this technique myself, I found painting directly on to photosensitive paper to be problematic, as the developing chemicals get muddy. Painting on to a transparent material first would prevent this.)


The chemigram has such artistic potential, so many materials could be used to paint with.
Additionally, the painting does not need to be "stuck", a transparent container could be used to try lots of compositions with interesting chemicals.
The V & A has published a great video about Pierre Cordier and his invention, as he was part of the "Shadow Catchers" exhibition.

It is interesting to learn that though the photography world welcomed Cordier with open arms, he is still yet to be accepted as a painter.

Labels: Cameraless Photography, Chemigram, Chemistry, Paint, Painting, Photogram, Photography, Pierre Cordier, Shadowcatchers Exhibition, Victoria And Albert Museum

To create, an artist must mix substances. Traditionally, pencil meets paper, paint meets canvas, plaster meets water. However, as art progresses, artists become more experimental with materials.
In the case of Roger Hiorns, copper sulphate has been applied to a disused council flat to create this crystallized set of rooms. The artist has pumped the copper sulphate in to the flat, left the solution to crystallize at a cool temperature and then drained the solution back out again.
"I'm not a scientist. I'm more concerned with starting a natural process which will go on happening by itself. It's never ending. It won't stop, whatever you do."
source
It is interesting that Hiorns does not identify as a scientist, but as an artist instead. This work displays a defined balance between order and chaos. The scientific process in which the crystals have been created would need to have been very precise, however chaos dictates when and where the crystals will grow.
Additionally, as visitors to "Seizure" crush the crystals on the floor and brush against the walls, the work evolves as people pass through.

Labels: 2009, Artist, Chemistry, Crystal, Crystallised, Crystallization, Roger Hiorns, Seizure, Tate, The Turner Prize

I find it interesting, that the creator of these beautiful ceramic vessels has a bachelors degree in biology. At first, I thought the close-up of the earthenware was a photograph taken from a microscope.
I follow a microscopic photography blog called Under The Microscope on Tumblr, and there are some images which bear a resemblance to the surface paintings of these works.




I am fascinated by the universality of circular forms from micro-organisms to huge planets, so the work of Mark Goudy really stood out to me.
The way that Mark Goudy achieves the surface pattern on his ceramic creations is also quite interesting.
Goudy paints on water-soluble metal salts.
Water soluble metal salts are elementally simpler than glazes, and are usually composed of nitrate, chloride and sulphate forms of metals, which dissolve inwater.
However, this method is used very rarely by ceramicists and requires a high level of skill, a good knowledge of chemistry and lots of experience to create something this attractive. If that wasn't enough, these water soluble metal salts are highly toxic!
Another artist who uses water-soluble metal salts is Gary Holt who provides a wealth of information on how to use these chemicals successfully. Check out Ceramic Arts Daily for tips.

Labels: Art, Ceramic, Chemistry, Gary Holt, Mark Goudy, Microscope, Microscopic, Science, Water Soluble Metal Salts