My favourite plate from Elk Island National Park. Shot on Thursday last week.
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| 14x14 inch, Clear glass Ambrotype- Tree Study, AMBROTOS KANATA, Elk Island National Park 2026 |
All my systems and techniques for making up to 14x14 inch Ambrotypes seem to be in place! After about 7 years of effort, things are becoming clear to me and even easy. I will still have to learn more to go larger but 14x14 inches and smaller is now no big deal.
Techniques and systems.
- vinegar developer
- Gerry collodion
- flowing plates
- developing plates
- making homemade frames for plates
- fixing plates
- drying plates
- washing plates
- varnishing plates
- making plates archival
- transporting plates before and after
- cutting glass
- loading holders (taped backs for 4mm and 3mm at 14x14)]
- lens
- cameras
- darkroom trailer
- tripod system
- power supplies
- water supplies
- pumping out waste water
- adding fresh water
- sources for all chemicals
- honey for long term temp storage of plates before wash
- safe lights
- how to pack trailer safely
- coolers for most important chemicals, both big and small
- silver maintenance in the field
- scooter transport for far off shooting locations
- darkroom tent for remote shooting
- trays
- raised trays for storage
- plate storage cases
- plate separation sheets
- honey protection
- long term storage of plates
- AND MANY MORE!
I posted this story on a silly Alberta separation Facebook page. I know it will fall on def ears, but I could not help myself. Worth a shot, maybe it might get 1 or 2 people thinking.
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For a guy who is unemployed (retired), I am sure spending a lot of money lately. Bought me a Epson P-900 printer, inks and a roll paper adapter, total cost $2604 CAD. I needed the printer to do Direct To Plate (DTP) printing for my coming Photogravure work. The money is also coming from the Insurance Check. So I got both a new printer and a etching press out of it. I decided to buy the printer now as it has it currently has a $195 CAD rebate.
When I install and set up the P-900 printer I should be able to print directly onto the plates for the Photogravure process. I will still need to order $1000 in unexposed plates from a company in Ontario.
Note** I was initially hoping to use my P-800 printer for the Photogravure work but I have been having trouble loading paper into the printer, not sure what the issue is.
Note*** I will use the new P-900 printer with the old roll paper I purchased for the P-800 but could never load properly. My attempts to load the paper without the roll paper adapter ($1000+) might have damaged the P-800 machine.
Note**** I purchased my P-800 in April of 2018, over 8 years ago. Guess it was time for an upgrade.
Went to Elk Island today (Thursday June 25) to make Ambrotypes. I arrived a bit late 215pm and started shooting at 315pm. I made pics till about 7pm.
Broke the first 2 plates but it went well after that.
Note* I used the AC for the first time but it only ran for 2 hours 20 minutes. It dropped the temp in the trailer from the 27s Celsius to the 24s Celsius. It did not seem like much but it helped quite a bit. The short Jackery timeline is an issue. I have 2 units of the same size but tff gd at only gets me to 5 hours or so and then both batteries are dry.
Note** I also used honey u for the first time in the field. It worked well but I think I need to make more mixed in the bottle before pouring, then do a better job spreading it on the plates to avoid drying.
Note*** It was nice to make up for the lost opportunities at Gull Lake (rained out), and to make some real Ambrotypes after so long away from the process!
Added a new tool to the rv-darkroom trailer driving combo. A wifi-solar backup camera. Not sure how I lived without it the last 5 years. A must have type thing. Backing up becomes way easier. You have the peace of mind that you’re not going to hit anyone or anything!
The 7 inch monitor sits in the dash hooked up to 12v cigarette lighter, with a on/off button. The camera is 47 feet back on the bottom of the trailer. The camera is held on with a magnet, the wifi signal works well, even over 47 feet!
Driving became easier and backing up way easier!!
A technique, used in conjunction with printmaking processes such as etching or lithography, that results in a two-layered paper support: a tissue-thin paper, cut to the size of the printing plate, and a larger, thicker support paper below. Both the tissue and the support sheet are placed on top of the inked plate and run together through the printing press, sometimes with a thin layer of adhesive between them to reinforce the bond produced through the pressure of the press. The process creates a subtle, delicate backdrop to the printed image. Chine is the French word for China, referring to the fact that the thin paper originally used with this technique was imported from China. In addition to China, paper was also imported from India or Japan. Collé is the French word for "glued."
It’s so much fun to be back on the road again with the motorhome FANNY and the darkroom trailer FREDDY.
So many people in the world do not have this opportunity I think back to the families in the Mae Sot dump or to the people living under the freeway in Khlong Toei slum. They will never have the opportunity to camp in nature like I am. Never have the chance to make art in the wild. Never had a chance to see the animals and wonders outside cities and garbage dumps.
Yet I can, for me it is normal. People in 1st world countries rarely understand how fortunate they are.
Note* Diesel was $1.60 CAD a litre.
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| Gull Lake, Alberta |
Glass plate cleaning is tedious at the best of times but doing it in nature helps!
Cutting the first of my FREE farm glass. I will make ambrotypes of Gull Lake tomorrow on them.
Cut it to 11x14 inch, 14x14 inch and then cut the scraps to 4x5 and 5x7 inch, not much wasted!
Somehow it seems more pure, more rewarding to rescue material like this and then create art on it! I also like it as a tribute to the old farmer who saved it all these years. It would be so cool to go from his barn to a major Canadian Gallery!
“Ain’t Photography Grand!’”
Worked on the press room today, made some upgrades. It will be a tight working space but also sweet and cozy. Hopefully can create some beauty photogravures here from my life’s projects.
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| Magnetic board to ink metal photopolymer plates on (will it work?). |
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| Sink table to hold a tray to wet printing paper |
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| 6 level drying rack |
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| Glass to mix inks on |
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| Floor mat to cover root seller door |
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| CD player allowing for tunes to work to! |
The large brayers I got included in the press sale are stupid expensive. Thanks for including them Nick.
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| Prices for brayers, Above Ground Art Store in Toronto |
Around 1000lbs. The bed itself weighs in at 285 lbs. 3 men to lift it!!
Some nice extras included in the $3800 price tag Included items were Hahnemuehle paper, inks, a large drying stand (1/3 is in the press room will need to find room for the rest later. Also got 1 large brayer and 1 super large brayer, new cost is $300+ CAD.
I hope to be making photogravures this winter.
Thank you to all who helped move this beast. The next move will probably be after I die. I am hoping I can use it over the next 20 years to produce limited edition photogravures. If I can make back my $4000, that would be a nice bonus.
Note* Nick the seller decided to hire a mover for the 285lb press bed. That was an additional $300 cost, we split it 50|50. So the total cost for the press and extras was $3950 CAD.
Note** Got the little desk table free earlier this week. It fits the spot but not sure I will keep it.
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| The garbage can was expensive, over $100 but it is to prevent fires a safety concern. I guess with some inks the cloths that are used to wipe off the inks from the plates can SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST and start a fire! Best to be safe, pay the money and all the rags go inside and are changed out daily. |
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| The crazy expensive brayers |
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| Inks |
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| All extras included |
After 2 nights of effort. After help from 6 or 7 people. The etching printing press is set up in the press room. Photogravures to follow!!!
My back hurts!
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| Dragged in and rebuilt, thank you team Nick! |
The etching press transfer will start tomorrow. It might take 3 days.
With the press coming, I am thinking more and more about the prints I can make. I found these 3 small digi prints up by the computer and thought “I wonder what these would look like in photogravure?”
If I can get foot at this process, the possibilities are endless.
The 3 great photo processes for black and white prints are platinum, carbon and photogravure. If I can get a handle on this process, I might be able to make something truly beautiful.
When I was younger I was not a Monet fan, but as I got older my opinion changed. Part of that change was seeing and loving Monet's water lilies and the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.
I like the line from below "He focused on eliciting a instinctive emotional response."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet
I picked up this thrift store book today for $4. I love one image (detail) near the back of this thin volume. I keep thinking wha it may look like as a Ambrotype. I do that often with JMW Turner paintings, now it is starting with later Monets.
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| Snow Storm, or Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth, is a painting by English artist Joseph Mallord William Turner from 1842. |
