Workshop: Carbon Printing for Beginners

From October 22, 2014 through October 24, 2014 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at George Eastman House

Unlike silver prints, the carbon print image is formed with the same pigments used for centuries in artists’ oil colors. The key to making carbon prints is a sheet of pigmented gelatin called a “tissue.” These can be purchased, but are expensive and limited to only a handful of colors. In this workshop, you’ll get hands-on experience in how to make your own carbon tissues and prints in any color using pigments available at your local art supply store or online.

Process Historian Mark Osterman will teach you an easy way to make carbon tissues from scratch in your home using common materials and easy-to-make equipment. He will deliver an illustrated lecture on the evolution of pigment printing. This workshop will cover exposure, development, and transfer of the carbon image onto fine art papers. We will show and discuss vintage carbon prints from the George Eastman House collection.

Each participant will receive a manual with complete instructions in basic carbon tissue making and printing including articles on the process reprinted from publications in the George Eastman House research library.

Audience: Limited to eight, this three-day workshop is suitable for photography students, educators, fine art photographers, and anyone interested in the beautiful potential of this amazing process. No experience necessary.

Tuition: $500/$475 members, plus $70 materials fee

More information: http://eastmanhouse.org/events/detail.php?title=photo-workshop21_2014