Photographs by Frank

10 July 2022

Hand-colored Photos (Monhegan I. Series)

Filed under: Alternative Processes,Hand-Coloring — Frank @ 11:45 AM

I haven’t made any new exposures in the two weeks since we got back from Monhegan. However, I have been busy photographically speaking.

In anticipation of World Anthotype Day, I have been experimenting with making anthotypes again. I have made a couple of nice photograms using turmeric. Additionally, I am experimenting with other pigments for anthotype. Currently, I am exposing prints using an extract from red cabbage. I am also testing an extract from paprika. All except the turmeric are very experimental. I’ll report here if I have any success.

Additionally, I have been using watercolor paints to hand color a few of the photos from Monhegan.

While on Monhegan, I met Corlis Carroll, an artist who specializes in hand painted photographs. Corlis does not have a website, but here is an article about her. My previous hand-coloring work used colored pencils blended with a mixture of turpentine and vegetable oil. Inspired by Corlis, I have been experimenting with watercolor.

The first two images shown below are inkjet prints on Hahnemuhle Biblio paper*. They are about as large as I make for hand-coloring (6×7.5 inches and 6.5 inches square, respectively; both on an 8×10 inch sheet). The third print is on Strathmore Hot Press watercolor paper and is 4×5 inches on a 5×7 inch sheet.

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* I really like hand-coloring prints made on Biblio, which has a wonderful ‘feel’ about it. However, I am getting a bit of buckling (which is evident in the scans) of the paper with watercolors. Biblio is a thin-ish printmaking paper so it is not intended to ‘see’ much water. I am hoping that the buckles can be removed/minimized by pressing the prints for awhile.

2 Comments

  1. These are gorgeous, especially the door. I imagined opening it to the place I remember in Maine. Thank you.

    Comment by mary jo wilhelm — 11 July 2022 @ 10:55 AM

  2. NEAT!! I still have my 64 box of colored pencils if you need some help 🙂

    These came out great. Is there anything you can do about the buckling??

    Looking forward to more.

    When is you next one-man show on “anthotypes?”

    Comment by Joe Kennedy — 13 July 2022 @ 2:41 PM

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