Earth Pigment Emulsion

Cyn Photo (CynPhoto@aol.com)
Sat, 28 Feb 1998 13:40:11 -0500 (EST)

I recently saw an incredible exhibit of photographs at the University of
Michigan Museum of Art. These photograph monoprints, by Don Camp, are over-
life-size portraits of African-American men measuring 30"x22" and 51"x39".

The monograph attending the exhibition states:
"The photographer explores a little-used and abandoned nineteenth-century
process that uses pigment, in this case dry earth, suspended in handmade
casein and light sensitized. After several layers of contact printing, in
which he freely manipulates and recomposes the image, he removes the excess
pigments from the print by water-soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing the paper.
This process blends the paper, pigment, and image, making the image one with
the paper. The sepia-colored emulsion tends to bleed into the paper."

The process he uses fascinates me and I was wondering if anyone knows more
specifics about the process or of a text that might inform me.

Regards,
Cynthia Davis
Ann Arbor, MI