I've made a big leap forward in my search for a safe #alternativephotography process that is capable of #color without the use of #dichromate! There are several clues in the various sites regarding alternative photography. I was just stubborn enough to keep digging. I think I've found a good process that is as easy as the #gumBichromate process but could also extend to #carbontransfer. I just got my first image repeatability.

This was a mixed success 😁. #carbontransfer. Basically you can create tissue on the #PTFE support and then just wait until the tissue is bone dry. However it doesn't seem to dry very well if you make the gelatin swell and you stick it to a #gelatin sized paper... since the sizing prevents evaporation, all the evaporation has to pass thru the PTFE. It seems necessary to use the fan for active evaporation.

I'm just about in my second #CarbonTransfer failure of the day. I've had the image pressed onto the wet glut gelatin sized paper. In my previous failure I clearly over exposed. So this time it is about half the exposure. In the previous experiment I noticed that the sizing indeed grabbed the gelatin by the balls, enough to rip the paper...one side was glued to the temp support, the other was glued to the paper. So hopefully this time around there's enough gelatin that is not cured yet in between

I had previously failed at #carbontransfer using #titebond PVA glue mixed 50% with water as a way of sizing the final support paper. Well today I did that too and I squished my image on for 1hr. Then I used a fan to dry it a little. The sides of the sized paper started curling and I saw a clean separation. The stuff doesn't bond with the gelatin! I slowly pealed it off. Now I'm using gelatin mixed with #gluteraldehyde again. But this time I'm applying it wet to see if it will glue it self.

#ferriccarbon a version of #carbon transfer is what I'm up against. I found an interesting forum regarding it with lots of input from #sandyking I thought he was a she for the longest time. I figured she had been gone for a long time because of how legendary the guy is. He's literally on every #alternativephotography forum that has any relevance. Anyway, I only know how to fail at #carbontransfer right now, but have you ever noticed how beautiful #tissue can look?

So today I tried the #carbontransfer process again and I have no image 😭. I tried #gluteraldehyde hardened gelatin and the #uv hardened gelatin doesn't seem to stick to it. The glut gelatin turns into almost a plastic layer. Then I tried titebond original mixed with 30% gardened gelatin, some citric acid, alcohol and water. This felt like a good material, dried quickly. But it dissolves in water. I tried a 1"x1" carbon transfer and I could indeed see the transfer. But melted and floated away.

Yesterday I made the most beautiful #tissue for #CarbonTransfer. I spent some time #ballmilling 300mesh graphite mixed with some random carbon I had made some time ago. After 12 hours of milling I got the stuff out into a pickle jar. It's basically diy India ink of the highest quality. It made the best tissue I had ever made. But it failed completely. I think I found several issues that will make a successful print next time. 1) the PH was 9, it's supposed to be 4. 2)temp was 40. It's 32!!!!

Trying #chiba #CarbonTransfer on my #diy #projector #enlarger. I did some #cyanotype on Sunday after completing my makeshift stand. Now before I do anything else I want to just practice practice practice. I basically got a set of prints I want to repeat until I run out of #glop materials. I'm using #gelatin but I've noticed a bunch of guys changing to titebond #HideGlue or generic. Maybe the polymerize is more effective or something. So I'll try that one day.

Trying this #chiba process. It's like a blend between #cyanotype and #CarbonTransfer. I'm very skeptical about it working the way I made it. The guy online suggested Hyde glue. I went with #gelatine hardened with #gluteraldehyde. I had to add pigment twice because the first try was very thin and runny. I am using the green #ammoniumferricoxalate as the sensitizer. Usually had used #citrate. I haven't been successful in any of my carbon transfer experiments at all so what the heck.