Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Paper: Coat 1
Mix 25ml of distilled, room-temperature water with 3 grams unflavored gelatin. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Add 75 ml distilled water at 104 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
Immerse paper in gelatin solution and remove.
Squeegee gelatin solution off paper, then hang the paper and let it dry completely. The gelatin sizing keeps other solutions from soaking too deeply into the paper to be effective.
Paper: Coat 2
Tape paper to glass with masking tape.
Mix 2 grams table salt with enough distilled water to equal 100 ml.
Brush salt solution onto paper and let dry.
Paper: Coat 3
Mix 12 grams silver nitrate with distilled water to equal 100 ml.
Take project into a dark room, as silver nitrate is sensitive to light. Tungsten lights will have the least effect on your project. Try to avoid sunlight.
Brush silver nitrate solution onto paper with second paintbrush and let dry.
Create a Digital Negative
Import the image desired into photo software, such as Photoshop.
Convert the image to grayscale.
Invert image from positive to negative.
Horizontally flip the image. You should now have a black and white mirror image of the image you desire to print.
Print out the image onto transparency paper.
Create the Print
In a dark room, place the paper coated side up in the printing frame. Place the negative on top of the coated paper, then secure the glass top to the printing frame.
Expose to light for 7 to 10 minutes. Sunlight is best, but any UV light will work.
Remove from light and take the print back into the dark room.
Fixing the Print
Remove print from printing frame and rinse in a low-alkalinity cold water bath. After several minutes, remove water from tray, refill, and rinse again.
Mix 2 grams sodium bicarbonate with 1 liter of sodium thiosulfate to form a fixer. Divide evenly between two trays. Soak the print in the first tray for three minutes, then in the second tray for three minutes.
Soak the print in a print washer for an hour, then hang up to dry.