From: Christina Z. Anderson (zphoto@montana.net)
Date: 07/31/01-09:11:19 AM Z
Neither have the mostly positive wavy emulsion attached that is part of the
mordancage look. But the idea of
>
> Chris -- that's only "part of the mordancage look" as practiced by certain
> contemporaries, a kind of *mannerism* if I may say so (and even if I may
> not) that has NOTHING to do with the original process. Christopher
> James's book shows 2 beautiful Jean Paul Sudre mordancages that are
> perfectly unruffled and one by Opalenik ruffled to a farethewell.
Yes, I have the James book in question, and have also seen both Opalenik's
and Sudre's work in my research on the topic. I agree it is only one effect
possible with the process, although I have seen wavy ones of Sudre's, too,
actually. However, there seems to be a couple main possibilities with the
process. One is to wipe off all the gelatin that dissolves, in which case
you are left with an image that redevelops as a negative or reverse of the
first image. The other is to leave part of the image adhering to the paper
base, in which case you have a positive or non-reverse of the original
image.
It seems to me that Sudre did photograms and then mordancaged those;
thus, if he laid a dragonfly, for instance, on the surface of the photo
paper and exposed it, he would have a white photogram of the bug that would,
upon mordancaging (if I can verb-alize the term), then reverse and turn
solid or dark. Then it no longer resembles a photogram. At least, that is
my guess.
>
And, someone on the list said that one could
> > substitute copper sulfate for the copper chloride required in the bleach
> > etch solution. Is this true? I ordered a lb of copper s. and it is
about
>
> Yes it's true. Don't you trust me
Well, now that I know it was you, Judy, who said the original statement
about copper sulfate, of course I would trust it :)
>
I brought up the reference because Jonathan had asked if anyone had
found other sources, so every time I run across a source that deals with
either bleach/etch or mordancage, I report it. I find it interesting that
really there are quite a few variables to produce different looks with this
process, thus it has an appealing flexibility: e.g. do the process to a
photogram or a regular
image; how about using a paper negative, and thus ending up with a positive
with complete rubbing? Original high contrast image/low contrast image.
Original on RC/fiber. performing the
process pre fix or post fix. Developing/toning the etched print once vs.
twice. rubbing vs. not rubbing. I find it very intriguing in process and
end product, and well worth the stench. Now, how to figure out how to share
it with 24 students this next semester--outside--hoping it won't snow....(if
it snowed 14 inches on June 14 it can snow anytime in MT)
Chris
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