Sunday, September 05, 2010

Questions about Orange Power and a bit of cyanoprinting

Both Maggi and Robbie asked a very good question when they commented on my last post. I had to think long and hard about that one! I knew there was a very good reason why I wanted to learn the technique. 

The reason it is different is that the piece of fabric I transfer the image to is not limited to the size of the printer I use.  I could use this technique to print a 6 foot x 6 foot, whole cloth quilt if I wanted too!  That size sticks me as a  nightmare to quilt but I think it makes the point.

On another topic, this week I tried my hand at cyanoprinting!  Now how much fun is that?  The reason I had to try it was, one of our students at school is doing photography as her major research project for Year 12 Chemistry Class.  Due to time contrastants I prepared the fabric with the light sensitive chemicals (I'm the lab Technician, so it's my job!  how sad) for her.  Unfortunately, she was away from school on Friday and the fabric had to be used!  So I used it!




This is the same feather I used with the Orange Power.  I printed it onto acetate sheet and then laid it onto the sensitized fabric, place a sheet of glass over the the top and put the whole lot under a UV light for an hour!


The prints aren't perfect but it is a start!  The photo above is of the Derwent Estuary.  I took  that was is photo a few weeks ago, when we went for a cruise down the river on a friends boat!  In the process of preparing it to use I learnt something new about Photoshop!  "ctrl i"  turns a positive image into a negative image.  Just what I needed!  Yeah!





This is the very first one I did - I learnt a lot from it!  The choice of subject was not quite right.  There was not enough contrast at the bottom of the image.  That smudge just to the left of the tree was on the glass plate (use a clean plate!)











This one is my favourite so far.  I cut a few bits off a tree fern and I left them under the UV light for about 2 hours!  The blue is just so intense!

Here it is being auditioned with some of the oranges from my stash.


  I'd love to hear what you think!

Hugz

7 comments:

lisette said...

wowowowoweee!! sally that looks amazing. i'm hoping to do a cyanotype workshop at grampians texture next summer. i just love that blue and it is meant to go with the orange :)

ozjane said...

Someone is having way too much fun at work...LOL
They look fab.....love the first feather one
but am going to be square and say the orange does not do it for me.....but ignore me I hate hot pinks and fuchsia.....lol

Annette said...

You get to play like this and get paid?? How fantastic is that? woohoo.. That is fantastic, great results..well done.. and good to see the first one as well as the last, with the learning curve in between..
hugs Annette

Nia Tilley said...

Hi Sally, I haven't been on line for a while and have just been going back through your posts. What a wonderful body of work you have. Your lino prints are exquisite. Thank you so much for sharing your work, you are a real inspiration.

Robbie said...

The last cyano print is wonderful!! So crisp and clean looking. Thanks for updating on your opinion on using transfers.

Maggi said...

Good point about the size with the Orange Power printing (I still have no idea what Orange Power is!) Your cyanoprint pieces are looking good

Diane Wright said...

The are magical...the feather...the fern. The tree I thought very moody. Nice work. Orange power sounds very interesting too. Thanks for your comment on my blog...you seem so much better organized than I and your unhurried, crisp prints show it. Good job! You inspire me.

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