# How to make a chemigram?



## sim667 (Jun 29, 2010)

I wanted to experiement at work with chemigrams next week, but i cant find any decent instructions on how to go about making them.....

Anyone here know?


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 29, 2010)

Do you mean "photograms", where you place objects on photo-sensitised paper and then expose to sunlight?


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## wayward bob (Jun 29, 2010)

if it can be done you'll find it here 

eta: actually a search on there only shows artists galleries. maybe you could contact one of them and ask if they can recommend a resource?

eta2: this looks promising. if you're a member of just about any university library it looks like you should be able to access for free. if not let me know i might be able to get hold of it.


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## sim667 (Jun 29, 2010)

ViolentPanda said:


> Do you mean "photograms", where you place objects on photo-sensitised paper and then expose to sunlight?



No, chemigrams work by just using the chemicals...... apparently they can change colour according to, humidity and temperature after they're done too









wayward bob said:


> if it can be done you'll find it here
> 
> eta: actually a search on there only shows artists galleries. maybe you could contact one of them and ask if they can recommend a resource?
> 
> eta2: this looks promising. if you're a member of just about any university library it looks like you should be able to access for free. if not let me know i might be able to get hold of it.



That eta2: looks spot on, ill see if i can get hold of the books.....

if i work it out, you want instructions posted in the thread?


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## wayward bob (Jun 29, 2010)

hell yeah  i wanna see what you come up with too.


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## sim667 (Jun 29, 2010)

Im a little confused as to whether i need to apply the chemicals to paper in the darkroom or in the light? And whether i need to fix or varnish the images to make sure they just dont turn black eventually.

After i've worked that out ill start playing about.


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## Hocus Eye. (Jun 29, 2010)

There was an Ilford book called "Making Photographs Without A Camera". It gives lots of ways of making 'images' using photo chemicals and paper.

For example you can make a landscape effect by dipping the bottom corners of a sheet of photo paper in developer and then in fixer, finally putting it in an empty tray and under the enlarger for a few seconds while you watch the image developing. Landscape compositions are nearly all made of triangles because of the nature of optical perspective so it is fairly easy to replicate rolling hills and mountains with the corner dip method.

It is a messy process when done with students, and is liable to require a full clean up of the darkroom afterwards. You will need to get rid of any chemicals you have used because they may have become contaminated.

By various combinations of fixing and developing you can get a number of different colours from purple to brown. You can combine it with photograms.

It is horrible and messy but can be creative. Keep your fingers out of the soup though.

Yes do it in the darkroom under safelight, place under the light of an enlarger to expose (in a tray), and finally fix it. This is where the traces of developer get into your fixer giving a purple result on the final print. You can do it in daylight as well. I think that is the method in the Ilford book. It is just that the room may not be easy to wash down like a darkroom.


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## sim667 (Jun 29, 2010)

Thanks for the info hocus eye, have you played about with the technique then?

Well I've had a play for the last hour or so, tried out some different variations of light/chemical combinations......

Number 1.




This paper was exposed to light for about 30 seconds, then i splattered a mix of very dilute fix, and very dilute dev on it, and mixed them around with a stick. The image was then fixed and washed like a normal black and white image.

Number 2.




This paper was not exposed to any light, it just had the same dilution fix and dev as number 1 dribbled on it, then was left in daylight for about 3-4 mins. This image has not been fixed, ive noticed since its been done the white areas have been turning grey. I read that by not fixing chemigrams that sometimes change according to light/heat/humidity... Ill keep and eye on it and let you know whether it suddenly turns all black etc.

Number 3.




This paper was put in daylight very quickly (10 seconds) then the same dilutions as the previous 2 were applied. It was then put back in the light for about 5 mins. After that it was fixed for about 3 mins and washed then dried.

Overall im happy with what ive done in a very short space of time, i really like the effect, and reckon that with a bit of technique honing i could probably produce some quite desirable chemigrams to sell........ I also reckon it might be worth trying with liquid light on textile......... Apparently other chemicals with active enzymes will also create different effects....... One thing i did notice is that on the 2 i fixed, the colours were a lot more vibrant, until they had been fixed, i supposed its like when you dont fix a normal image properly, and take it outside, it starts going purple, but if your quick and put it back in the fix, you can sort out the fogging.

I think number 2 is my fave, but is the one im worried about the longetivity of.


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## wayward bob (Jul 1, 2010)

turns out rather spooky images doesn't it. how are they doing now, still changing?


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## Hocus Eye. (Jul 3, 2010)

Yes I have experimented with this. That was in the days before digital photography enabled the stages of the processes to be captured before they degenerated in the light. 
Nowadays it must be very much easier to experiment because you can photograph the results just as they are formed and before they change.

Another method is to paint fixer on the photo paper to make for example a word or two. Then print an image on the paper. After development it will only appear where fixer was not present. Of course the developer gets contaminated with fixer from the paper but that is part of the process.

This kind of experimentation is best done when you have come across a batch of out of date or otherwise suspect paper, where cost is not a concern. Similarly if you have been given or found a load of ancient developer that is not fit for proper photography.

I think that sooner or later someone will come up with a Photoshop filter that will do all of these effects. There seems to be little that used to be possible in the darkroom that cannot now be done with less expense and use of materials in Photoshop. It is a pity in a way because the satisfaction of getting for example a good Solarisation or Sabbatier Effect photograph with negatives and paper is much greater than hitting a few buttons on a computer.


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## sim667 (Jul 4, 2010)

the one that isnt fixed has gone dark, but the other two are normal

hocus have you had experienced trying to make a slow fixer just using salt? Im going to try it, as i dont think it will soften to colours too much.


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## toni hollis (Jan 10, 2011)

Heeey went to the shadow catchers  exhibition today , and want to try out chemigrams. What chemicals and paper do you use and where can I get them from???


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## sim667 (Jan 11, 2011)

toni hollis said:


> Heeey went to the shadow catchers  exhibition today , and want to try out chemigrams. What chemicals and paper do you use and where can I get them from???


 
I want to go to shadow catchers, i just keep not getting round to it.

I was using Ilford multigrade paper, kodak d76 dev, and ilford hypam fix. It should work with any tbh.


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## tresise (Feb 20, 2011)

The basic process is just the same as any paper fix developer, when I started out such things were considered a mistake. 

Any combination of dev on the paper and fix any any dilution in just about any order. Add in some exposure to light again at almost any stage and off you go. The other part is to apply something to the paper, varnish as been mentioned, then develop the paper. But it would appear people have experimented with all sorts of products even food stuffs such as treacle. The effect can be any number of interactions, can act as a mask so the density of the product show in the 'blackness' of the result. There can be an interaction between chemicals and what ever is applied such as varnish and water based chemicals. Then there can be a chemical interaction between what is applied and the processing chemicals.

And if you are wondering I did a degree in Photo science in the late 70s - wish I had done some chemigrams when I had the chance going to have to buy stuff and have a play.


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## Hocus Eye. (Feb 21, 2011)

As this thread has been revived I will add another interesting effect that you can do in the darkroom. That is to write or draw on photographic paper with a water soluble red marker pen and then expose the paper under the enlarger or just a lamp. Then develop and fix so that the paper goes black leaving a white trace where the marker pen has acted as a filter to the  light.

A more interesting effect is to use a red _permanent _marker on the paper. This time the ink acts as a filter so creating what would be a white line, but being insoluble leaves a thin red-over-white line against the black which jumps out almost as if luminous after development. You can make greetings cards with this method if you just put the image on the right of the paper and afterwards folding the photo paper so that the image against black becomes the front of the card. The plastic in the RC paper gives the card a luxury quallity.


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## kovsky (Nov 14, 2012)

Any new developments or pointers/guides/materials list for newbies?

I'm a photography student looking to experiment with chemigrams. They're so fascinating!

Mat


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## sim667 (Nov 16, 2012)

kovsky said:


> Any new developments or pointers/guides/materials list for newbies?
> 
> I'm a photography student looking to experiment with chemigrams. They're so fascinating!
> 
> Mat


 
Not I havent really done anymore, the best I can suggest is just get playing around.....

Its a year and a half on, and the prints still look reasonably similar, but get darker and lighter according to light and temperature


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## koysanjak (Dec 28, 2012)

I have been experimenting with chemigrams for a few weeks now but find them very uncontrollable, I would like to know how resists are used do they paint varnish on the paper?and the fix seems to remove the colour if you don't fix do they change colour? can you use stop and no fix?


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## Hocus Eye. (Dec 28, 2012)

You can get soluble-ln-water wax-resist liquid emulsion from Potter's suppliers. Check at your college. As for fixing, it is essential. The colour you get before fixing is lovely but completely fugitive sadly.


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## koysanjak (Dec 29, 2012)

thank you, I don't know what Potter's suppliers is I don't think we have that in the UK but I can probably find some wax resist emulsion from somewhere maybe ebay.Is that a soluble form of Vaseline? What I don't understand is how Cordier gets those squares and circles, anyway thanks for your reply.


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## Hocus Eye. (Dec 29, 2012)

Here is a link to one of the major pottery suppliers in the UK.

www.potterycrafts.co.uk


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