Tag Archives: carbon transfer

Printing with Carbon

In October we hosted a Carbon Printing workshop led by Dennis L. Collins. Dennis was able to lead our participants through this tricky process from start to finish – sensitizing carbon tissues with potassium dichromate, exposing the tissue with a negative, transferring the exposed tissue to the support sheet, and developing the print. Our students got hands-on experience making prints, as well as lots of practice trouble-shooting, which will better prepare them for continuing this process on their own. Each student made beautiful prints, and all learned to find the beauty in mistakes!

Dennis demonstrates the process of sensitizing carbon tissues to light using potassium dichromate

As the carbon print “develops,” un-hardened carbon pigment floats away – leaving the image remaining!

Several participants experimented with salvaging the used carbon tissue, to interesting effects

The same print is shown here printed on white and black paper, creating a cool contrast. The image on the black paper is viewable only when held against light

Dennis discusses the participants’ final prints after two days of hard work