- Preparing the Materials and Tools
- Preparing the Graphite Gelatin
- Preparing the Wood
- Activating the Primer
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Activating the Primer
Apply the SuperSauce Solution White to the center of the panel and any other areas where the image should be light. Use the clear SuperSauce around the edges. Blend the two together with a foam brush (see Figure 10).
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Figure 10 Apply the SuperSauce white solution to the center of the panel.
Position the print and slide it down on the wet surface. Wait three minutes and then remove the film. The white areas may just look translucent and dark, but don't worry; they'll be white when dry.
Move the alignment board and print up to the panel, and roll down the print (see Figure 11).
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Figure 11 Use a soft paint roller to slide the image onto the wet solution
Set a timer and wait three minutes for the image to move (see Figure 12).
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Figure 12 Leave the film in place for three minutes.
Beginning at a corner, pull off the film diagonally (see Figure 13).
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Figure 13 Slowly remove the film diagonally.
If you see any bubbles in the surface, rub them down by placing a plastic bag on the surface and pressing down with a piece of Styrofoam after the surface is dry, as shown in Figure 14.
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Figure 14 After an hour of drying, press out any bubbles.
The next day, quickly overcoat the image with the SuperSauce solution to seal in the inkjet emulsion that transferred to the top of the image (see Figure 15). Once this sealing layer is dry, you can add traditional media on top of the transfer.
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Figure 15 Use the Clear SuperSauce as a sealer over the dry print.
This technique creates the look of a vintage image that has the darker vignette in corners, made in the print-transfer process instead of in the camera or on the computer. My prints never look computer-generated when I make them with this process. Hint: I make a lot of these panels at once and place them in an old food dehydrator to dry (see Figure 16). Each panel dries with a different look that allows me to select a perfect panel to pair with my image.
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Figure 16 An old food dehydrator is great for drying several plates at once.
Large panels can be covered in a collage of thin papers dipped in gelatins; for example, try dipping newspaper and magazine clippings. Building a surface of hand-torn or cut paper layers is a great way to add dimension to a photo collage.
Each image transfer done with this technique is unique, and the handwork adds value to the object. Learn more about gelatin transfer in Digital Alchemy: Printmaking Techniques for Fine Art, Photography, and Mixed Media.