Its been a year since I met Michaela Pospíšilová at ECW and saw her wonderful Bromoil prints. We had a good chat, regardless of the language barrier and she had a lot of good tips. She had also brought me some N113 Foma paper, that I had ordered, so I could have another go after my failed poor attempt with Ilford Multigrade paper.
The Bromoil friendly Foma paper has sadly remained unopened in the darkroom. Then I remembered I still had two matrices, in a drawer at the studio, made with Ilford Multigrade last year printed from a 12×15 ambrotype.
So feeling rather guilty I rummaged around and pulled them out from under a load of plates.
Soaked in room temp water for 30 minutes, onto blotting paper and then inked with a more appropriate black ink first with a foam roller and then with a brush.
I think I’m laying the ink on way too thick. With this print I washed? a load of the ink off with a wet cotton pad, this made it all blotchy and had to be re-brushed to make it good again – ish.
I was pleasantly surprised how well it came out considering it was inked in less than ten minutes. Just got me thinking with a little forethought and planning this Bromoil printing might be a useful tool after all.
Just wish I’d tried the Foma paper and had something to show Michaela next week at this years ECW.
I’d laid the print to one side to dry and found myself going back to it several times as was still impressed how it looked with the light shining on it at an angle at the studio. Weird, totally different from any standard photographic print.
that’s awesome print, my friend! I love bromoil printing process. Michaela is the master in that, I need to visit her. Perhaps on the end of May.
I think I will be doing more for sure but taking a little more time.