“Three Barbie Camisole Nightgowns” by Francis Schanberger
Country: USA
Parts used: Leaves
Application: Brushing
Exposure time: 56 minutes
Month, season and year: August, summer, 2022, noontime
Substrate: Heavyweight Fabriano Artistico Cold Press from the 1990’s, about 640 gsm coated with gesso.
Contrast of final print: ** (Medium)
Amount: About 15 cc for each layer of 20 cm x 29 cm; estimated 105 cc for a dark green emulsion on 20 cm x 29 cm with 7 layers
Extracted using: Mortar Pestle with 90 percent alcohol.
Thinner: 90 percent alcohol (Everclear, 180 proof)
Layers: 7
Used to create image: Transparent (sheer) fabric (tule), Barbie doll clothes
Challenges or observations:
The pigment is not water-soluble, so it must be applied after decanting from pestle. It can be reduced in a sauce pan to minimize the number of layers (coats). Since it is suspended in alcohol, I used gesso as a barrier to keep it from moving through the paper (i.e. it was coated on watercolor paper treated with a surface of gesso and brushed right on top of the dried gesso). Very fast and easy to overexpose. Also requires a lot of attention, use of high proof alcohol and gesso as a base on the paper.
Instagram: @francisschanberger
Additional information: The fastest emulsion I have made. It easily exposed with as little as 5-10 minutes with noon day sun in the summer. Brush the paper with gesso (and dry) prior to applying pigment. Be prepared for several brushings (let dry in between layers). I haven’t made this emulsion since 2013, so I was expecting at least two days of Ohio sun exposure. I was surprised when the ground turned white after 5 minutes. Don’t take your eye off of this one during exposure.
Rated 9,8 - based on 224 votes
Rated 10 - based on 2 votes
