Photo 3-4 Project #1 IDEAS: Early Processes

My ideas: 

Symmetry:

The human brain itself creates habits, one major habit being to expend less energy in our daily life. It's why our minds are hardwired for biases, self-delusions and quick decisions based on our memories allows for easier decisions versus sitting there and contemplating the pros and cons.

Why are we attracted to symmetry? Why do we human beings delight in seeing perfectly round planets through the lens of a telescope and six-sided snow flakes on a cold winter day? The answer must be partly psychological. Symmetry presents order, and we crave order in this strange universe we find ourselves in. The search for symmetry, and the emotional pleasure we derive when we find it, must help us make sense of the world around us, just as we find satisfaction in repetition of the seasons and reliability of friendships. Symmetry is simplicity. Symmetry is elegance.

When I think of symmetry and psychology I think of the Rorschach Test. The Rorschach test is a type of projective test used in psychoanalysis, in which a standard set of symmetrical ink blots of different shapes and colors is presented one by one to the subject, who is asked to describe what they suggest or resemble.

Indigo by: Fredrikson Stalland

By: Astrid Stawiarz

That being said I thought, why not create my own ink blot on watercolor paper and make some cyanotype prints and some photogram prints up in the darkroom with the enlarger. For these prints I plan on using no larger than 8x11 pieces of paper considering that I'm planning on doing a series of these, but there is one cyanotype I have in mind that may need to be larger then 8x10. When in the darkroom and using the enlarger I would capture my image on my photo paper and then take a transparency of an ink blot and put that on top of my image, then redo that process and hopefully only what's covered by the transparency shows up. I'm still trying to come up with what images or objects I would like to use with this project and whether or not they should relate to symmetry as well and or possibly portray a kaleidoscope.

This is the opposite of what I would be doing, the photo would only appear where the ink is and the rest would be black.
Kate Moss, Photo by: Asher Penn, 2008 

This is more of what I'm going for but with an ink blot formation instead of a hand.
Photo by: Andy Bettles

This is basically what I hope to end up with except again, an ink blot instead of the hands.
Photo by: Jerry Uelsmann

The one cyanotype that I want to do that would be larger then 8x10 would be on a 18x24 sheet of paper. I feel comfortable with doing this large of a print because I have a large black artists portfolio to store it in. For this print, I have this old/vintage large glow in the dark skeleton from halloween. I plan on pressing flowers and intertwining them with the ribcage, spine and pelvis. I also thought about putting some butterfly transparencies where the stomach area or the heart would be to simulate that feeling you get well, when you feel butterflies in your stomach and I wanted to incorporate a poem with this piece.

The poem:

"I tried to forget
But you grew roots around my ribcage
And sprouted flowers
Just below my collarbones.
All day I pluck at their petals
But I have not yet ascertained
Whether you love me
Or not"

- Lauren Haase

Art inspiration for my 18x24 print:

By: Lauren Haase

Artist unknown

By: Laura Makabresku

Tattoo By: Ella Hewetson

Artist Unkown

Old Process / New Artist

The old photographic process that intrigued me the most was the cyanotype process.

The cyanotype process was invented by the astronomer and chemist John Frederick William Herschel (British, 1792-1871). The name cyanotype was derived from the Greek name cyan, meaning "dark-blue impression." Herschel experimented with the cyanotype process in the 1840s and inspired Anna Atkins, daughter of his friend Dr. John Children, to illustrate her botanical studies with cyanotype photograms.

The general principle of the cyanotype process is the photochemical reduction of iron (III) salts to iron (II) salt that reacts with potassium ferricyanide (red prussiate of iron), forming an intensely blue complex. The process has several simple steps:

1. Selected paper or other material is coated with a mixture of iron (III) salt (today mostly of ferric ammonium citrate) and potassium ferricyanide. The coating must be applied under dim light due to light sensitivity.
   
2. The resulting yellow-greenish layer of sensitized material is dried in the dark.
   
3. The dried, sensitized material is exposed under a negative or other partially or fully
   opaque material (when creating photograms) to strong light (sun or an artificial UV light source), usually in a printing frame that assures good contact between the negative and the sensitized material.
   
4. Light exposure is aided by simultaneous exposure of a sensitometric wedge or timed based on exposure and development of a series of test samples.
   
5. The exposed material is transferred to a water bath to complete the formation of Prussian blue in areas exposed to light and to dissolve any unexposed mixture of sensitizing compounds. Full development of the blue image can be aided by the addition of a hydrogen peroxide solution to the bath. Otherwise, the blue image can be assessed only after the material is fully dried and oxidized by exposure to air. 

A new artist that uses this process: 

• Daniel Coburn
• Daniel Coburn says photography is about ideas. "As image makers we have a vulnerable opportunity to engage with a variety of historical processes, to make images that are beautiful, and rich in concept."

Not all cyanotypes are cobalt blue: Internment toned cyanotype from Waiting for Rapture. Photo by: Daniel Coburn

Sources used:

1. Cyanotype history and process
2. Daniel Coburn - New Artist