U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | RE: Jim Patterson Cuprotype

RE: Jim Patterson Cuprotype



On Mon, 15 Oct 2007, D. Mark Andrews wrote:

You can view three of Cor Breukel's copper prints at this site:
http://silverghost.stanford.edu/copper/index.html


Also, there is a good article by Cor on copper printing in PF#9>

Thanks Mark... I just went back and refreshed my memory: I was thrilled that Cor did it because my own attempts --- while promising -- were scary. The "photographic omnivore" (Cor Breukel) is not only savvier about chemicals than I am, but no doubt braver... Also, as his article made clear, Chris Patton, inventor of the process in that 1979 Popular Photography, generously shared his experience and later discoveries.

A propos of the current discusssion I note that Chris said "he designed the formulas himself, and never could find any reference in the old literature to copper as printing-out process."

However, in case folks are contemplating the original (of course a new process is like a new kind of candy), the following is from my "Editor's Post Script" to that article:

[Page 52, P-F #9]: I do strong, even demonic, substances. I have boiled selenium and melted uranium nitrate. This was sodium hydroxide mixed with acetic acid -- the most intimidating brew I've handled, and, literally fulminating.

....I worked at arm's length, in good light, with gloves, goggles, heavy coverall, and a plentiful supply of clean water. The foaming and the heating were admittedly scary -- although (I also admit) EXCITING. I'll add that I did get paper whites, but by brushing...

Postscript Oct '07: Chris/Cor were using a later version, which, if memory serves, wasn't anywhere near the hellfire and brimstone of the original, tho not milk and cookies either.

PPS: The food references in this commentary are pure coincidence.

Judy