Chemigrams use photo-sensitive paper or film, primarily in conjunction with chemistry to create pictures. The silver gelatin is mainly modified not by light but by different chemicals in order to create an image. The chemicals may be dropped, sprayed, or applied with a brush. There often exists a combined technique: Exposed photosensitive material is often developed or fixed only partially. Conventional black and white photo paper can result in different color tones.
The emulsion also can be modified by a large range of metallic salts, toners, and couplers. Even "finished" chemigrams are very dynamic. The tones often change by the influence of light, temperature and humidity, especially when they are not fixed or chemicals remain on the surface.
But also color photo papers react and can be used. Organic substances like enzymes can have a immense influence on the emulsion. Sometimes the emulsion is physically modified by scratching into the gelatine or even by burning (brulage) parts of the paper. Many chemigrams have a strong painterly character to them. Inkjet prints offered by Jon Lybrook on this site are made from the chemigrams directly for the most part, after some degree of physical or digital enhancement.
Jon Lybrook creates chemigrams on large format film as the core image of his prints because of film's ability to render such delicate, graduated tones and colors. The nature of working with these materials allows for a very free feeling of controlled chaos with images taking on the appearance of the macro and microcosoms...from a tempest in a teacup to interstellar nebulae, it embodies the process of nature at work. These film-based images are then transfered to polymer photogravure plates where they are hand-wiped with multi-colored, oil-based inks and printed on to fine art paper using an intaglio press.
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