Lumi Experiment Dodging
Lumi photoreactive ink will let you print with a negative on any absorbent, natural material.
It's a lot of fun to create your own design and have it printed without screen printing, with really easy clean up.
How did we get a Lumi kit at ADX? Well, first we registered as a makerspace, and when an e-mail said "Would you like to try Lumi?" we said Yes!
It's a lot of fun to create your own design and have it printed without screen printing, with really easy clean up.
How did we get a Lumi kit at ADX? Well, first we registered as a makerspace, and when an e-mail said "Would you like to try Lumi?" we said Yes!
Developing
I have done a little time in a photo darkroom, and Lumi is a really clean, easy way to do basically the same process, using the sun, being able to clean everything up with water, and no weird fumes.
I figured that a developing technique like dodging could be adapted to Lumi, so I tried it.
Dodging is where you use your hands to control where and how much light gets to a print, Block an area, and it's lighter, make a cup with your hands and expose just one area, and it'll be darker.
I figured that a developing technique like dodging could be adapted to Lumi, so I tried it.
Dodging is where you use your hands to control where and how much light gets to a print, Block an area, and it's lighter, make a cup with your hands and expose just one area, and it'll be darker.
Wait, What?
How do you adapt that to a print in the sun? I'll show you.
First I printed up a test sheet, in this case 9 of the D's from the ADX logo. I marked the size of the print on my cloth with a washable fabric pencil.
First I printed up a test sheet, in this case 9 of the D's from the ADX logo. I marked the size of the print on my cloth with a washable fabric pencil.
I put the dye down, trying to stay within the marks I made on the material.
After placing the negative back on the shirt, I walked into the sun with my secret weapon- a magnifying glass!
Focus the light on the areas you want darker. I concentrated on the center row, being careful to not burn it, but focus light to make a good, bright spot.
I covered the bottom, to have a lighter row.
I covered the bottom, to have a lighter row.
Wash It Out
I washed the extra dye off with a few drops of inkowash.
The results:
The ones that were covered were lighter,
The top row was pretty dark, for being outside for 15 minutes
The magnifying glass ones were a little darker, and I'd guess it took about 5 minutes off the regular developing time.
Also you can see where I got outside the lines with dye placement.
The results:
The ones that were covered were lighter,
The top row was pretty dark, for being outside for 15 minutes
The magnifying glass ones were a little darker, and I'd guess it took about 5 minutes off the regular developing time.
Also you can see where I got outside the lines with dye placement.