From: Galina Manikova (galina@online.no)
Date: 11/28/00-05:00:54 PM Z
Christina,
I just looked it up on my old back ups and found the following old replies,
which I paste in below.
There are many other ways to apply photos to aluminium too, but I am so busy
for the moment, that I can not promise I can take the time to list them all
right now.
Hopefully, you can get your hands full trying some of the described below.
There might be more on the subject in the archive from that period of time.
Hope, people do not mind that I simply paste the old material in here.
Regards,
Galina.
--------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 05 Nov 1997 22:55:49 +0000
From: "FB." <aikus@freemail.c3.hu>
Subject: Re: photo processing on metal
To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
Priority: normal
Comments: "alt-photo-process mailing list" Comments: Authenticated sender is
<aikus@freemail.c3.hu>
At: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 rhonda@cc.gatech.edu (Rhonda L. Nelson) wrote:
>I am taking a metal sculpture class and wish to put photos on the metal. Is
there an emulsion that adheres to metal (alumninum, steel, zinc)? Is there a
way to transfer a current photo to metal?
It's a question of the glue which adhering several "emulsions", photographic
layers to the metal surface. :-) For example the carbon/pigment process
which result a pigment tissue usually which transferable to (nearly) any
material. There are a lot of other type of several chromatcolloid processes
to make similar way it.
Another possible method the burning in enamel photography (on metal, similar
to photoceramic processes).
And a possible special way the using photomechanical or other printing
processes which are using metal plates (ie. copper, zinc, etc.). The result
of these processes usually a print on paper, but you can use the metal
printing tool which has the photographic picture on the surface.
(Mechanically and/or from paint). Examples: Photogravure, Zinkography, etc.
There are more creative ways also: these are only my first ideas...
Balint Flesch
Archaist/conservation photographer
Hungary/Budapest
PS: Ready silver-bromide emulsions (spray, liquid, etc form) are available
(ie: Liquid Light) also but these are unsportmanslike tools :-)
To: lkv1@psu.edu (Valburg)
From: galina@online.no (Galina Manikova)
Subject: Re: Images on Aluminium
Cc:
Bcc:
X-Attachments:
Thank you for this information! I have afew further questions though:
>There's a product called TEC-200 film which is used in making one-off printed
circuit boards
What firm is producing this product? Is it Agfa, Kodak, Fugi ? You see, it
does not make sense to order it from Littleton, I might be able to find it
here in Norway.
>It is a specially coated
>plastic film which can be used as a substrate for a photocopy or a laser print.
How is the image transferred to it? Is it used directly in a Xerox machine
or a printer?
>last time I got a catalog a couple of years ago
Maybe you could be so kind to look it up for me ? Thank you in advance.
I am going to use the information from W.Kent´s "Alternative photographic
processes" book, where many different types of resists are listed.
There are also recipes for handmade resists and I am going to try gloy, that
somebody so kindly brought to Bath. Carbon tissue from Autotype will work
too. There are some new materials on the market today, that I am not so
sure, that I will get a chance to try this time, even though I have some
samples with me.
Riston film from Du Pont is one of them. It is a polymer material, therefore
is supposed to be more health and environment friendly, but it has to be
warm laminated to metal, and that gives size limits. I am going to make
something big ! That is the reason why I turned to aluminium, because of
it´s light weight.
I am very interested to find a positive resist material. Any ideas ? I was
thinking to try a combination of a positive cyanotype receipt and pour some
gloy into it (or maybe gelatine, wax or gum arabic).
Anyway, I am leaving now and will give the list a rapport by the end of
July.
With my best regards, Galina Manikova. (galina@online.no)
To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
From: galina@online.no (Galina Manikova)
Subject: photo processing on metal
Cc:
Bcc:
X-Attachments:
>Hi, I am a new subscriber. I am taking a metal sculpture class and wish to put
photos on the metal. Is there an emulsion that adheres to metal (alumninum,
steel, zinc)? Is there a way to transfer a current photo to metal?
>Thanks for any help. Websites, books, and general advice is most appreciated!!
>Rhonda Nelson
>rhonda@cc.gatech.edu
I have been working with big aluminium plates this summer and promised to
give a report to the list. This has been postponed of health reasons, but
here it is.
I started my experimenting from the following theory:
All materials/processes are looked upon as:
Group 1. Chemical compositions, that react to UV-light and produce an image
in color without (or with) additional pigments by projection, contact
copying or photogram method (f.e. cyanotype, kalitype etc.) This
compositions are water-based and sink into the underlying surface. They can
be applied to paper, ceramics, wood - any surface, that soaks water. One can
use materials from group 3 to control absorbency of the surface or to create
an absorbent layer on non absorbent surfaces such as glass, metal, plastic,
glazed ceramics etc.
Group 2. Light sensitive emulsions, that have a base and create a layer of
certain thickness upon the underlying surface (like gum arabic, other
dichromated colloids, silkscreen emulsions etc.) These emulsions can be used
as a resist for coloring, etching, sandblasting or some pigments can be
mixed into a composition to produce a final image.
Group 3. Materials, that can be used as bases for light sensitive materials
and colors in group 2 and as impregnating components for group 1 (and 2).
(Like gum, gelatin, acrylic, lack, glue, asphalt, bitumen etc.)
This theory applies as a matter of fact to all surfaces, that we use in
alternative photography, inkl. paper. Maybe, one can get new ideas, if one
starts looking at it this way:
How about creating white on white photographs in relief by sandblasting
thick paper or porcelain ?
How about cyanotypes on aluminium ? (Blue on blue pictures) So,
1. CYANOTYPE. I have tried it and liked the results. I have not impregnated
the surface, but polished it mechanically or chemically (alkaline etching by
NAOH). One can experiment with different proportions between the emulsion
components and by adding gum arabic solution to the emulsion to give some
"body" to the print. I imagine, that kallitype would work as well, I have
not tried that.
2. AQUASOL EMULSION / SANDBLASTING. Waterbased silkscreen emulsion applies
directly to mechanically polished aluminium plate and lets to dry in the
dark. High contrast (or rastered) image is projected directly or applied by
contrast printing. It is developed by water, dried and sandblasted, the
emulsion is removed by hot water and/or emulsion remover. The image results
as daguerreotype, to types of shiny surfaces, one has to find an angle to
see the image. I liked the most of all ! Endless amount of variation
according to surface treatments and negative quality, nearly no size limits
(if you have no cabinet sand blasting possibilities)
3. PHOTORESIST / ETCHING. That works, as it is a well-known method on all
kinds of metals (zinc, copper, steel, silver). I experimented a bit with
selvcomposed resists, based on glues, gums, gelatines, lacks, asphalt etc.
This was very difficult, as either the resist does not stick to the plate
(even if one prepares it mechanically) or it falls off in the etching bath.
The only thing that worked for me was a standard photoresist in a spray box,
that I ordered from Germany. That was fun to work with, but it is expensive,
which gives size limits. So I abandoned that pretty soon. I believe though,
that it should be possible to find a resist, that is cheap, home-made,
sticks well to aluminium and is resistant to etching. There are several
types of etching baths one can use on aluminium:
- degreasing (alkaline or acid) - NAOH or sulphuric acid - etching/polishing
- Königs wasser (Aqua Regia) - 320ml Hcl + 160 ml HNO3
- Keller solution (1,5% HCL + 2,5% HNO3 + 96% water)
we used also something called dandruff acid (HF) for micro etching/polishing
(can anyone tell me what it is called in english ?)
4. ETCHING/ANODISING/COLORING. First the plate is prepared by mechanical and
chemical cleaning, so it is etched to give the toof and polish before the
electrolysing. The emulsion has to be applied after the anodising
(electrolysing) and before the coloring bath. One has to be very quick and
careful, so as the anodised surface does not get hurt. That is not easy and
the only thing that worked for me was that standard resist spray box from
Germany. Again, it is only a matter of time to find a selvcomposed emulsion
and how to apply it without disturbing the anodised layer. For color bath
one can use organic aniline textile colors or just anything else. The colors
are usually bright and strong, very punky and beautiful. One can repeat the
process several times to get color separations, I imagine. I have not done
it as I had time limits. The problem would be to protect the first color
from being etched away, but there must be the ways !
My approach should be correct for any other metal. One has to find the right
chemicals though. There were questions on the list about silver - here you
go.
I worked at a big plant with crazy security routines and I worked in a
really big scale. That gives limits by itself. Anodising is usually used for
jewellery, here they produce plates 1 x 7 m for architectural use. I will
try to go back to that next year.
Regards,
Galina.
Galina Manikova. (galina@online.no)
on 28-11-00 18:10, Christina Z. Anderson at tracez@mcn.net wrote:
> Thanx, Jonathan, for giving me Kent Rush's email address. Here is his
> reply, cut and pasted, in case anyone wants to know how to attach photos to
> aluminum archivally. I called Light Impressions to get some feedback and
> the customer service person there knew absolutely nothing (duh); checked the
> internet for other ideas and came up short, so Kent Rush's info is great.
> Chris
>
> Christina,
> Please give my regards to Jonathan!
> I "wet mount" fiber base photographs to aluminum.
> I first sand the face of the aluminum to give it "tooth."
> You may then clean it with alcohol to remove any residual grease.
> I soak the photo prior to the adhering.
> I use Elmer's white glue but you should probably use PVA for archival
> purposes.
> I dilute the glue to a milky consistency w/water.
> I apply it to the aluminum face and to the blotted back of the photo (brush
> or paint roller).
> I lay the photo onto the aluminum and proceed to squeegee the air bubbles
> out by applying water to the face of the photo as a lubricant and then
> squeegeeing from the center outward. I do this twice around.
> I then sponge the surface of the print clean with water then wipe dry, lay
> the mounted print flat, place photo blotters over the surface followed by
> corrugated cardboard and then some other flat/hard material such as a
> plywood sheet and then weights on top of that.
> I replace blotters after the first hour then wait for 24 hours.
> Any blotter fibers sticking to the photo surface may be removed by
> soft wiping with a damp cotton rag or sponge.
> Hope this is helpful.
> Kent Rush
>
>
>
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