Large Liquid Emulsion Prints

[eddie]

I've been working with Liquid Light, on Artistico paper for a while, and have been making mostly 5x7 and 8x10 prints. I've just begun to do them at 16x20, and really like them larger, so I'm thinking 20x24, or more. It would be difficult for me to go larger than 20x24, as the emulsion dries in paper boxes, and that's the largest size boxes I have (except for 1 32x40 box). I can't let them dry in the darkroom "exposed" as access to the darkroom would be problematic. For those of you doing something similar, how do you allow the emulsions to dry while still being able to use your darkroom? In the old days, I'd just ask the local lab to hold onto a few paper boxes for me, but those days are gone...

BTW- Here are the first matted ones. Images are roughly 16x18, matted to 20x24:

 

[gandolfi]

It's fun, isn't it?

I don't know whether I can help you, as I am fortunate to have a "dark dark room" - a room for rolling up films, and also using LE. In there I have a big shelf with lots of "draws" big enough to carry large prints.

 

[eddie]

Emil- I'm loving the liquid emulsions... It opens a whole new world of paper choices. I'm using a heavily textured paper for these. They soak up a LOT of paint, but I love how they look. I showed the 2 posted to about 20 people today (including one of the models) and everyone of them said they don't look like photographs, they look like paintings. That was my goal...

 

[Molli]

Eddie, is there any where around you that sells furniture in flatpack boxes (e.g. Ikea?). If you could get one of the boxes that pre-assembled bookcases or something come in, you could make that light tight and string some wire/string/fishing line inside to hang paper. Standing up vertically, the narrowness of the box would allow it to be put behind a bench or whatever to keep it upright and out of the way while still leaving just enough room inside to keep the paper from sticking to anything while it dries.
Just a thought, no personal experience of my own in this area. Of course, an empty, unused cupboard would probably be a lot easier and leave you with a less DIY look to the end result

 

[eddie]

Thanks, Molli.... You gave me an idea I can work with. I do have (and have access to more) 32x40 inch mat board/fome-core boxes. If I cover the outside of the boxes with black trash bags, it should remain light tight long enough to dry and store.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Beautiful pictures Eddie. Fun isn't it?

My biggest are 16x20 and I air dried them hanging up, as I have no problem entering or exiting the darkroom due to having a dark hall just outside the door and it protects the prints.

So, sorry I cannot give you any help, just encouragement.

PE

 

[bsdunek]

I use stacking cookie racks in a cabinet. I don't know where you can get ones large enough for 16 X 20 though. I do see stacking wire racks on Amazon, but it would be kind of expensive to have enough. Maybe if you could find some used.