I've been making a lot of ink transfers lately using overhead projection material from the 1990's and generic hand sanitizer. (Hey, the pandemic is hopefully winding down, so I have to do something with all the hand sanitizer that I hoarded). The inkjet coating on the old overhead projection material is quite brittle and when it comes in contact with the hand sanitizer it forms something resembling a rubber cement consistency. In order to coax, prod and persuade that messy mix onto the paper (I use Arches 88, an unsized paper), I have to cut away the strands of image on the edges (with an X-Acto knife) in order to get the image to release from the transfer material and onto the paper. This is what gives you those unpredictable, messy edges. This is also what gives you a completely unique, one of a kind print.
I've been into de-constructing my images recently and this process appeals to me. I love the unpredictability of making these and seeing how each one that I make is different. They remind me of Polaroid transfers, which I love, but I somehow never make enough of them.
I still have about fifty sheets of the "expired" overhead film remaining, so I'm hoping to make several more of these images.
Posts
This is gorgeous ... the sense of fragility of the print works beautifully with the delicate quality of the tiny branches. Thank you for explaining about those wonderful edges.
ReplyDeleteThanks, J. For me, the ragged borders are what makes these worth doing.
Delete