Methods to make prints "one of a kind"?

B&Wpositive · Nov 4, 2009

A very simple question:

In addition to dodging and burning, what other techniques can one apply to make prints that come out slightly different each time and are all unique / never perfectly repeatable?

I want to do this for some fine art prints so everyone gets a one-of-a-kind print that can never be duplicated and will look a tiny bit different than one from the same neg.

Basically for the scientific-method-minded individuals here, I want suggestions for printing techniques / print manipulations that are somewhat variable, so as to make my precision to go halfway to hell, but still keep my accuracy within fairly tight bounds. ;-)

Thanks.

Rich Ullsmith · Nov 4, 2009

I recommend to you Tim Rudman's "The Toning Book," as there are dozens of ways to go about this and way too many to get into here. The book will give you more than enough ideas.

rwboyer · Nov 4, 2009

B&Wpositive said:
A very simple question:

In addition to dodging and burning, what other techniques can one apply to make prints that come out slightly different each time and are all unique / never perfectly repeatable?

I want to do this for some fine art prints so everyone gets a one-of-a-kind print that can never be duplicated and will look a tiny bit different than one from the same neg.

Basically for the scientific-method-minded individuals here, I want suggestions for printing techniques / print manipulations that are somewhat variable, so as to make my precision to go halfway to hell, but still keep my accuracy within fairly tight bounds. ;-)

Thanks.

Split toning, water bath development for contrast control, shoot on polaroid ;-).

Platinum printing in the sun. Carbon Transfer - depending on your process, actually just about any hand coated paper/alternative process depending on materials and coating technique.

RB

trexx · Nov 4, 2009

I make my prints all the same. But I cut the negative into the number of prints I make and include with the print. This is very rare but when it needs to be unique.

TR

MikeSeb · Nov 4, 2009

It's a handmade analog print. It needs no artifice to confer
a ginned-up uniqueness it already possesses.

removed account4 · Nov 4, 2009

degrade, distress and retouch the print by hand.
you could degrade, destroy and retouch the film after each print is pulled from it,
and by the end of your "x prints made" no more will be able to be printed,
and every print that was made will be different from every other print.
but as mike suggested hand made typically means no two are identical.

have fun
john

keithwms · Nov 4, 2009

MikeSeb said:
It's a handmade analog print. It needs no artifice to confer
a ginned-up uniqueness it already possesses.

I agree!

Christopher Walrath · Nov 4, 2009

Wirelessly posted (BBBold: BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.297 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

You could simply not take notes and print them differently every time. No two people would interpret a single negative in EXACTLY the same way. Other than those words, I agree with above. Uniqueness is one beauty of optical traditional printing that will always enthrall.

sun of sand · Nov 4, 2009

one technique that seems to be underutilized is selective bleaching
Perhaps the reason for this is because it can be soooooo time consuming
I spent 1.5 hours on a 11X17 print and ruined it right as I was thinking about stopping

But bleaching can do some wonderful things
essentially micrododging

It may be the most creative thing you can do with a print and there is absolutely no way you're going to do the same thing the same way every time

That is my submission
I believe it best fits what you're looking for

John R. · Nov 5, 2009

Variations in toning can make significant differences and produce absolutely unique prints. I completely agree with the selective bleaching techniques also. I don't think simply making a print by hand makes it especially unique unless you only make one print and/or the technique being employed has significant variables from making one print to the next, meaning inconsistency by the practitioner. An average person would never notice the variation anyway. I don't know about others but I know I can make hand prints that look the same.

JBrunner · Nov 5, 2009

When you make prints in a darkroom, each one is unique to some small degree, no matter how good you are, so simply by printing you will achieve your intention. A hand made print is unique on its own, simply because of what it is. Unique doesn't necessarily mean good though, and good is what sells, not affectations.

clayne · Nov 5, 2009

JBrunner said:
When you make prints in a darkroom, each one is unique to some small degree, no matter how good you are, so simply by printing you will achieve your intention. A hand made print is unique on its own, simply because of what it is. Unique doesn't necessarily mean good though, and good is what sells, not affectations.

Couldn't have said it better.

ooze · Nov 5, 2009

Lith printing takes "uniqueness" one step further. It's almost impossible to replicate a print.

xoe · Nov 5, 2009

solarization is another way to make each print unique.

keithwms · Nov 5, 2009

Of course, if you spit on the print or apply some other body fluid then it will be uniquely, genetically linked to you... Certain mildly radioactive substances could also date it uniquely :rolleyes:

dpurdy · Nov 5, 2009

If something aint right it's wrong.

Kirk Keyes · Nov 5, 2009

Drop it on the floor and step on it and add a few unique artifacts to each image...

jvo · Nov 5, 2009

coloring

handcolor the prints - marshall's oils or pencils

jnovek · Nov 5, 2009

"one technique that seems to be underutilized is selective bleaching"

I often use selective bleaching, or I will partially bleach back an entire print in a weak ferricyanide solution. Bleached back prints look distinctly different from prints that are initially printed with a high contrast filter.

Jason

tkamiya · Nov 5, 2009

How about slightly different cropping? Each time you'd make an exposure, move the easel just a little. Honestly though, depending on how many prints are involved, how many variations can you really make that are reasonably close to "perfect" and purchasing public can still visually detect his or hers is different from all others? I can see doing something like this for may be a dozen or so prints, but when you go beyond that....

How about just numbering and putting your personal signature? Then, the image may be nearly identical but each print is unique as a product.

Perry Way · Nov 5, 2009

See Angelo di Mango's recent gallery entry (link below) for what he describes as "...heavily printed, flashed, bleached back, partly toned in thio-urea and then selenium..."

Now that is definitely about the most unique one could get. Each step is unique. Added all together it's a trip down chemical obfuscation lane.

What's more is it is very beautiful!

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

David A. Goldfarb · Nov 5, 2009

If you want the print to have the feeling of a unique handmade artifact, then make it by hand.

Learn a handcoated process.

Take it a step further and make your own paper.

Make your own wooden frames, books, or portfolios.

Denis R · Nov 5, 2009

develop

play with developers and developing temp

use many different papers, including fogged

MattKing · Nov 6, 2009

Use a really bad easel!

On a really slippery baseboard!

Matt

nick mulder · Nov 6, 2009

In lieu of contact print/alt processes ... liquid light ?

Methods to make prints "one of a kind"?

B&Wpositive

Rich Ullsmith

rwboyer

trexx

MikeSeb

removed account4

keithwms

Christopher Walrath

sun of sand

John R.

JBrunner

Moderator

clayne

ooze

xoe

keithwms

dpurdy

Kirk Keyes

jvo

jnovek

tkamiya

Perry Way

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

Denis R

MattKing

Moderator

nick mulder

Methods to make prints "one of a kind"?

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Moderator

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