Once you have entered the darkroom, you set the the times of the light according to how exposed you wish the image to be, and to work out the perfect time you create a test strip. Test strips are essential in order to produce a quality photogram.The correct export time for me was 5 seconds, according to this test strip. To create this test strip I placed a piece of black card over most of my photographic paper and objects on top, and then exposed it or 1 second. I repeated this process several times while moving the card further to the left of the photographic paper, and this test strip showed me that the perfect exposure time was 5 seconds. To the left is my test strip:
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To create the painted effect, it's the same process as any other photogram, up until the developer. You take a paintbrush and dip it into the developer and paint your paper, rather than placing it in the tray. It creates a contrasting effect if you leave some parts not developed. As you can see from my example, I painted in random curved lines across my image, leaving some part undeveloped, or less developed. In this image my objects were scissors, string and a necklace.
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For double exposure, I exposed my image for 2 seconds under the enlarger, I then moved the obejects around and exposed it for a further 2 seconds. The chemical process is the same; developer, stop, fix, water bath. For my example of double exposure, I used a piece of metal and exposed it horizontally, and then vertically, creating the pattern.
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To create the sandwich effect, i sued a previously developed photogram, and placed it on top of a fresh piece of photographic paper. I then exposed it under the enlarger for 8 seconds (a lot longer than a usual photogram), and then did the same chemical processing. As my objects, I used a leaf, because within this task we were also required to incorporate the contrast between manmade items and nature.
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To create the solarisation effect, I exposed the image for 3 seconds, then put it in the developer tray until I could just about see the image start to come through. I then placed it in the darkroom tray and under the enlarger, and exposed it for a further 2 seconds. Then back into the developer, and then the rest of the chemicals. The aim when doing this technique is to create a glowing effect on the objects, mine were bulldog clips. When experimenting with different objects I found that non flat objects worked better for this effect
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In creating my weave, I used 2 sandwich print photograms together because I thought they would make a contrasting effect due to their opposite colours. The objects I sued were buttons and I like the effect they make in this print of buttons with multiple tones. The end result will still create a full photo, but with a more abstract effect. I cut one photogram landscape, and the other portrait, both leaving a 1cm gap between each strip. I then cut up the strips, and wove them in between each other.
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In terms of creating the movement effect, the object I used was a fork. before exposing to the light, I decided the amount of times I wanted to move the fork, I chose 7 times. According to my test strip, the optimum time is 5 seconds, and so I re-exposed the image moving the fork, every 0.7 seconds. The chemical processing is the same, developer, stop, fix, water bath.
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The main focal point drawing your attention within this images the subject posing in the centre of the picture. The black outline of the hole from the beer can creates this framing effect around the woman, which makes it even more eye-catching.
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The detail and pattern on the wall is extremely visible. The main focal point drawing your attention is the two children in the centre of the image.
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I really like the composition of this image, the way the walls of the buildings either side of the man appear to be bending towards each other creates an alien like effect.
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